Guiyang Tops Beautiful Cities List, Spurs Urban Growth Via Cultural-Tourism Integration  

KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 10 (Bernama) -- Guiyang has been ranked first in China’s “Beautiful Cities” list with a score of 96.39 and placed among the top 10 most “Livable Cities” in the Report of Urban Comprehensive Development Index 2025, underscoring the city’s success in integrating culture and tourism to power high-quality urban development.

The Guiyang Municipal Bureau of Culture and Tourism in a statement said the recognition reflects the city’s ongoing efforts to strengthen its “Cool Guiyang” urban brand and promote coordinated growth between its old and new districts through cultural and tourism development.

Guiyang has actively leveraged its historical roots and modern vitality to build a dynamic city landscape that combines heritage preservation with innovative industries and tourism experiences.

In the Yunyan District, known as the cultural and historical core of Guiyang, authorities have revitalised the old town through heritage protection and creative transformation. A total of 68 cultural relics and historical blocks, including Chaohui Block of Taiping Road, Wenchangge Block and Xinyin 1950, have been restored and infused with new commercial activities and cultural appeal.

The revitalised Chaohui Block of Taiping Road and Xinyin 1950 have become popular destinations for both locals and tourists. During the 2025 Mid-Autumn and National Day holidays, Yunyan District recorded a 14.2 per cent increase in tourist arrivals, generating tourism revenue of 1.36 billion Chinese yuan. (100 Chinese yuan = RM58.44)

Meanwhile, Guanshanhu District, regarded as Guiyang’s “Window of the Era”, has positioned itself as a modern and trendy urban showcase. Since 2024, it has hosted over 26 major music events, drawing more than 500,000 visitors and generating 300 million Chinese yuan in spending.

The district has also promoted reading and cultural literacy through the “Reading and Experiencing Guanshanhu” initiative, while major commercial complexes such as CCPARK and MixC have fuelled strong nighttime consumption trends.

Guanshanhu’s diverse offerings—from Guanshanhu Park and Baihua Lake Scenic Area to the Guizhou Geological Museum and modern Olympic Sports Center—provide a rich base for integrated cultural and tourism experiences.

Beyond the two leading districts, Guiyang is advancing a "Dual Core with Multiple Clusters" development model. Each district—Nanming, Huaxi, Wudang, and Qingzhen—leverages its unique resources, from leisure and wellness to lake and hot spring tourism, to create a complementary and differentiated tourism network.

Guiyang aims to remain a city that blends time-honoured heritage with youthful energy, ensuring its cultural and tourism economy continues to serve as a key driver of high-quality development.

-- BERNAMA