Cocoa culture fuels tourism in Wanning

"It's really fun here, and the chocolate is delicious," said Eli, a young visitor from the UK, after a DIY chocolate session. His mother mentioned that they visit the workshop frequently during their stay in Wanning.

"Thanks to Wanning's unique terroir, local cocoa beans develop a distinct flavor that many children really enjoy," said Luo Tianqi, an instructor at the workshop, as she helped children pour chocolate into molds. "During peak season, we sometimes host over 100 participants in a single day."

"Our handmade chocolate experience has been running for over two years. Though small in scale, the process is well established," said Tang Yidong, project manager of the chocolate town. "During the Spring Festival peak period, we receive around 20,000 visitors per month, averaging about 700 per day."

Inspired by the town's success, numerous chocolate experience shops have emerged across Wanning over the past three years. According to the local cocoa association, there are more than 50 small-scaled chocolate experience shops throughout Hainan, a third of which are located in Wanning, most opened in the past year.

Unlike mass-production models, Wanning's edge lies in its local culture. "We compete not on output, but on culture. Here, visitors not only taste chocolate, but also touch the history and craftsmanship behind it," Tang said.

Jenny Yan, owner of a local chocolate workshop, added: "Hainan cocoa is not yet widely known, but it is a high-quality variety recognized among the world's fine cocoas. We want to help more people understand what good chocolate tastes like and how to choose it. We hope Xinglong's cocoa culture, though developing slowly, will gain momentum."

"We also aim to improve our chocolate logistics to distribute Hainan chocolate to other provinces," Tang added.

Liu Ziqi, Wu Xinxin, and Yang Xinzhuo contributed to this story.