GUIYANG, China, March 31, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- A news report from China Daily:

The 20th Guizhou Tourism Industry Development Conference was held in Guiyang on March 30. The opening ceremony at Drum Tower Square in Colorful Guizhou city highlighted the province's progress in smart tourism and artificial intelligence. It also unveiled new characters from the "Huangxiaoxi" mascot family and promoted the "stub economy", a ticket-stub reward initiative, along with the "Cool Guiyang Top 10 New Scenic Spots".

Among attendees were 15 international media professionals and content creators participating in the 2026 China Storyteller Partnerships. From March 27 to 31, they gained firsthand experience of Fanjing Mountain, the famous cave basketball courts, and the historic Zhongnanmen Historical and Cultural Tourist Area, amongst others. Through the lens of these international guests, the narrative of Guizhou tourism is entering a more authentic, open and collaborative era.

To develop Guizhou into a leading national destination for tourism and long-term stays, 10 provincial departments, including the Department of Housing and Urban-Rural Development, jointly issued a series of measures to support tourism-related residential development. The steps establish a policy framework covering land supply, revitalization of existing assets, financial and fiscal support, and standardized operations.

Technical guidelines are also being prepared to homogenized construction requirements across six areas, including environmental livability and green, low-carbon development. Guizhou's tourism-related residential sector is shifting toward an integrated model combining development, services and operations. Efforts focus on improving product quality, expanding the customer base and cultivating professional operators.

Authorities are also strengthening four support systems to advance high-quality industry development: policy standards, resource guarantees, promotion, and supporting services.

Accelerated by conservation and infrastructure

Guizhou is known for its cool summer climate, with an average temperature of about 23 degrees Celsius and excellent air quality on more than 99 percent of days. With an average altitude of around 1,100 meters, the province offers favorable conditions for health and wellness tourism, alongside a rich cultural heritage shaped by diverse ethnic groups and revolutionary history.

The hospitality sector has expanded rapidly, with 304 star-rated hotels and about 13,000 guesthouses. Transportation infrastructure has also improved, with 1,900 kilometers of high-speed rail and more than 9,390 kilometers of expressways, ensuring expressway access to every county and airports in all prefecture-level cities.

Since emerging in the 1990s, Guizhou's tourism-related residential sector has grown steadily. By 2025, out-of-province buyers are expected to purchase about 30,000 homes, accounting for 17.9 percent of total sales.

Cities such as Guiyang and Liupanshui have repeatedly been included on national summer resort lists, boosting their visibility and supporting the province's development as a tourism, residential and wellness destination.

Steered by data and strategy

The 2026 Guizhou Tourism and Residence Research Report notes that China's tourism-residence sector is entering a period of rapid growth. With its natural resources and industrial foundation, Guizhou is well-positioned to benefit from this trend.

Government initiatives, growing tourism demand and improvements in supply have created a positive cycle of development, strengthening the province's position in the national tourism-residence market.

Meanwhile, innovation in tourism-residence models and deeper integration of culture and tourism are helping drive the development of intellectual property-based tourism products and new market opportunities.