Despite the economic slowdown, China's tourism sector has tremendous potential, a senior international hotelier told Xinhua on Thursday ahead of a global tourism summit.

"We see nothing but potential, nothing but opportunities in China's tourism market," said Kristian Petersen, area director of operations for East China at Marriott and executive general manager of Renaissance Sanya Resort and Spa, the main venue for the ongoing 14th World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC) Global Summit.

High-end hotels took a blow last year as the Chinese government launched a frugality campaign to uproot bureaucratic and extravagant work styles among public servants, a policy that has reportedly prompted star hotels to downgrade their ratings to woo customers.

Petersen said that the policy had impacted business, but he has remained optimistic on the Chinese market, especially due to opportunities from the booming wedding sector.

"Especially in Hainan, it can be a main niche market as the natural environment offers a perfect place for a wedding," he added.

He said that Chinese people are increasingly health-sensitive, sophisticated and tend to like having more choice as they become wealthier. Most tourists stay in Hainan much longer than in Shanghai and Beijing as it is a desirable recreational resort, Petersen said.