NANNING, November 15, 2026: The Chinese city of Hezhou in Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region is expanding rural tourism by combining historic attractions, cultural experiences, outdoor activities and wellness facilities to encourage visitors to extend their stays.
At the centre of the initiative is Huangyao, a 1,000-year-old riverside town known for its stone bridges, traditional merchant houses and historic streets. The town attracted approximately 1.59 million visitors in 2025, an increase of nearly 27 percent from the previous year.
Hezhou highlighted its tourism development strategy during the 2026 Guangxi Culture and Tourism Development Conference, where 21 investment agreements were signed covering hot-spring resorts, boutique accommodation and cultural entertainment projects.
Local authorities are developing travel packages that combine heritage sightseeing, traditional tea-picking opera, mountain trails and wellness experiences.
The strategy has shown encouraging results, with tourist arrivals and spending recording double-digit growth during the first nine months of 2026. Hotel and guesthouse check-ins more than doubled compared with the corresponding period last year.
Growing tourism activity is also creating employment opportunities and encouraging former migrant workers to return home and establish businesses.
Local entrepreneurs are introducing interactive experiences, including traditional food preparation, agricultural activities, handicraft workshops and cultural learning programmes.
Hezhou is also connecting historic villages along the Xiaohe Ancient Path, an ancient trade route linking central China with Guangxi.
Xiushui Village, known for its cultural heritage and Yao ethnic traditions, received 73,000 visitors during the National Day holiday, representing an increase of nearly 175 percent year on year.
Meanwhile, neighbouring Chashan Village attracts around 600,000 tourists annually.
The initiative reflects a broader shift towards rural tourism across China. Data from travel platforms indicate growing demand for longer stays in smaller destinations, with county-level hotel bookings of three nights or more rising approximately 20 percent during the summer holiday.
Tourism experts say travellers are increasingly seeking authentic cultural experiences rather than conventional sightseeing, creating new economic opportunities for rural communities.