Guilin finds fresh ways to surprise

Guilin finds fresh ways to surpriseFrom tea ceremonies aboard boats to village stays, visitors discover a more intimate side of the Guangxi city, Yang Feiyue reports.By Yang Feiyue|China Daily|Updated: 2026-11-06 08:24

An international visitor enjoys rock climbing in Guilin, Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region. CHINA DAILY

The flowing hair of women of the Red Yao ethnic group, the terraced slopes of Longji town, the limestone peaks lining the Lijiang River — these are the images that have long drawn travelers to Guilin, South China's Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region.

"The natural scenery of the Longji Rice Terraces is fascinating," says Mani Lamichhane, a senior director at the Nepal Tourism Board, who recently visited the city to see these celebrated sights. But he came away with more than memories of landscapes. He also praised the performances at the town's Huangluo Red Yao village and local residents' efforts to protect the environment while developing tourism.

"I will definitely come back to Guilin," he says, adding that he believes travelers from around the world would enjoy the destination.

Lamichhane was among more than 300 tourism professionals from across the Asia-Pacific region and beyond who gathered in Guilin in late October for the 20th UN Tourism/PATA Forum on Tourism Trends and Outlook. First hosted by the city in 2007, the forum explored emerging tourism trends and how artificial intelligence and digital technology are reshaping travel.

Guilin has long attracted visitors with its karst landscape and terraced fields. Local tourism businesses now offer cultural activities on river cruises, in scenic areas and at hotels.

On selected Lijiang River cruises, visitors can enjoy a Song Dynasty (960-1279) tea-making experience as the karst peaks drift past.

On sightseeing boats in the Two Rivers and Four Lakes scenic area, performers present cai diao, a traditional folk opera that blends local songs, dance and comic acting. Drawing on everyday life, romance and local customs, the performances invite visitors to listen, join call-and-response activities and even try on costumes.

Tang Hongling, general manager of the sales channel department at Guilin Tourism Corp, says the company has noticed a shift in the expectations of inbound visitors.

"Visitors' needs are shifting from group sightseeing toward immersive experiences and deeper exploration," Tang says.

A village in Longsheng autonomous county of various ethnic groups, Guilin, displays colorful harvest produce as part of shaiqiu, or "autumn drying", a seasonal tradition that draws visitors to enjoy the scenery. YU LINYU/FOR CHINA DAILY

Technology is also adding new dimensions to established attractions. At Yinzi Cave, also known as Silver Cave, 3D mapping projects images onto rock formations, including scenes inspired by A Panorama of Rivers and Mountains, a celebrated landscape painting by Song Dynasty artist Wang Ximeng. Colored lighting highlights the shapes and textures of the stalactites, while augmented-reality features offer visitors an interactive experience.

At Zhujiang wharf on the Lijiang River, bilingual Chinese and English signs help visitors navigate the terminal, while Korean and Vietnamese guidance is available in key areas. The visitor center also provides multilingual translation devices and a dedicated service counter for inbound travelers.

Hotels, too, are broadening their cultural offerings. At Shangri-La Guilin, general manager Chen Bihong says the hotel has introduced morning tai chi sessions and welcome performances featuring bamboo dance, a traditional dance practiced by ethnic groups in parts of southern China. It also hosts international meetings and provides accommodation and conference services for delegates.

Chen says the hotel plans to expand cooperation with international businesses and organizations while developing more products that bring culture and tourism together.

Foreign visitors explore an ancient Zhuang village in Guilin. CHINA DAILY

Beyond the terraces

The Longji Rice Terraces have drawn visitors for more than three decades. Yet tourism development here has not entirely displaced traditional village life. Many communities have retained their local character, with residents continuing to play an active role in the tourism economy.

In Dazhai village, tourism revenue is shared with residents and reinvested in maintaining the terraces. A July 2026 report by China News Service shows that the village returns 7 percent of ticket revenue to terrace maintenance and offers farming subsidies of up to 900 yuan ($125) per mu (667 square meters) to encourage continued cultivation.

In early 2026, 285 households shared tourism dividends totaling 6.47 million yuan, the report says. The village has also adjusted its rice harvest schedule to extend the tourist season, helping local homestays attract visitors for longer stays. More than 200 homestays now operate in the village.

Li Yaoqi, a professor at Sun Yat-sen University's School of Tourism Management and director of its Cultural and Tourism Consumption Research Center, says the Longji area had reached an important turning point. With visitor numbers already substantial, the focus should now be on improving the quality of tourism rather than simply attracting more people, he says.

For He Shixuan, marketing operations manager at the travel agency Shenzhen Century Holiday Travel Group, part of the terraces' appeal lies in how they change throughout the day and across the seasons.

"The scenery of the Longji Rice Terraces is different during the day and at night, and in different seasons," she says. "A moment you experience there may stay with you for the rest of your life."

He Shixuan sees Guilin as a source of artistic inspiration, drawing on its natural scenery, local culture and ethnic traditions. China's technological innovation offers one way to understand the country, she says, while Guilin's landscapes and cultural heritage offer another.

Guilin's inbound tourism has continued to grow. According to local authorities, the city received about 1.62 million inbound overnight visitor trips in 2025, up 61 percent year-on-year. From January to July 2026, it recorded about 1.25 million inbound overnight visitors, up 63.5 percent from the same period a year earlier. Foreign exchange revenue from international tourism reached $548 million during the first seven months, an increase of 78.4 percent year-on-year.

Visitors cycle along a country road in Guilin. CHINA DAILY

As inbound tourism grows, making travel convenient and accessible becomes just as important, says Zhou Xiaoguang, president and CEO of Guilin Tang Dynasty Tours. He has proposed measures to help overseas visitors find assistance during their stays.

One suggestion is sending an English-language welcome message to visitors' mobile phones when they connect to a local network. The message would explain how to seek help through the public-service hotline.

Zhou has also proposed improving the hotline's English-language response and providing round-the-clock assistance with common travel challenges such as language barriers, payments, transportation and lost documents.

He believes making Guilin more accessible to international visitors means ensuring they know where to turn when they need help, as well as offering more ways to experience the destination beyond its famous scenery.