Media Center
A tourism campaign based on theme "Follow Xu Xiake to Travel Guangxi" kicked off at the Darongshu Scenic Area in Yangshuo, Guilin, on Jan 5, coinciding with the 439th anniversary of the birth of Xu Xiake – a famous geographer, explorer and writer from the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644).
The themed event kicks off amid rolling mountain ranges. [Photo by Zou Lihao and Peng Liquan/provided to guangxi.chinadaily.com.cn/guilin]
Co-hosted by the Guangxi Culture and Tourism Department, Guangxi Daily, the Guilin municipal people's government and other authorities, the campaign is based on Xu's records of Guangxi from Travel Notes of Xu Xiake – the world's earliest scientific document on karst landforms.
It explores his cultural legacy and Guangxi's natural and humanistic resources, promoting resource transformation and industrial innovation to boost cultural and tourism consumption growth.
The actor portraying Xu shares the beauty of Guangxi's landscapes. [Photo by Zou Lihao and Peng Liquan/provided to guangxi.chinadaily.com.cn/guilin]
Highlights at the launch included the concept reveal of an AI micro-series focused on Xu, a 2026 AI travel writing contest encouraging entries about Guangxi unrecorded by Xu with a Hezhou-themed interactive session, plans for a musical centered on Xu, and a documentary series about him by Guangxi TV.
A special spring travel route tracing Xu's footsteps was also unveiled to offer immersive experiences capitalizing on Guangxi's natural beauty.
A series of related activities will be held in 2026 to showcase this, along with the province's cultural allure and investment-friendly environment. These efforts aim to attract more tourists and investors, further enhancing the influence of Guangxi's signature tourism brand.
