A picturesque Bainiao Cave in Fengshan county lies at the core of the healthcare tourism zone, which covers Donglan, Fengshan and Bama Yao autonomous county. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

Hechi, Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region received a record 26.46 million visitors in 2017, a year-on-year increase of 22 percent, pushing tourism revenue to 30 billion yuan ($4.8 billion), according to statistics from the Hechi Tourism Development Commission.

The fixed asset investment in tourism has increased by 18.9 percent from last year to reach 3.04 billion yuan.

The Hechi government has amped up construction on the Bama longevity & healthcare international tourist zone by launching 34 projects worth 968 million yuan. Investment on tourism projects along the Hongshui River totaled 210 million yuan.

Efforts have also been made to upgrade 106 public restrooms in tourist areas and build six autocamps.

Hechi has a long history with rich cultural heritage and natural resources. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

Taking full advantage of Hechi's robust health industry, the International Forum on 2017 China-ASEAN Traditional Medicine and Health Tourism was held in the city on December 2017, further consolidating its international reputation as an ideal place to travel.

The rise in tourism in the area has also helped to lift many locals out of poverty, with 14 new rural tourist areas and 27 agritainment facilities being built last year.

Rural tourism attracted about 10.48 million visitors in 2017, leading to a 25 percent increase in consumption and alleviating financial stress for at least 40,000 impoverished villagers.

A meeting is held on Dec 5, 2017 to promote the tourism projects along the Hongshui River in Tian'e county. [Photo by Mo Lanjun/people.com.cn]