Kaiyang's 'flower viewing' economy thrives

In March, Kaiyang county in Guiyang, capital of Southwest China's Guizhou province, saw its tourism market boom thanks to the various blooming flowers in the Shili Hualang Scenic Area.

The rapeseed flower field. [Photo/WeChat account of Kaiyang county]

The Shili Hualang Scenic Area, which is home to more than 1,000 mu (about 67 hectares) of rapeseed flowers, is currently holding a rural tourism cultural festival and rapeseed flower art festival, allowing tourists to experience a series of rich local cultural activities while enjoying the flowers.

The rapeseed flower field. [Photo/WeChat account of Kaiyang county]

Riding the nationwide wave of the spring tourism, Kaiyang has planned a variety of rich and colorful flower viewing activities revolving around the Shili Hualang Scenic Area, including flower appreciation, paragliding, camping, picnics, tea picking, agricultural experience, loquat picking, and intangible cultural heritage experience.

The peach blossoms. [Photo/WeChat account of Kaiyang county]

"In mid-March, a peach blossom viewing event will also be launched in Miping township. We hope to hold various activities to allow tourists to experience the spring atmosphere in Kaiyang," said an executive of the culture and tourism bureau of Kaiyang county.

The pear blossoms. [Photo/WeChat account of Kaiyang county]

Cheng Hua, director of the culture and tourism bureau of Kaiyang county, said that this year, Kaiyang will focus on a flower-viewing tourism model and create a multi-functional flower-viewing economic consumption circle that integrates tourism, culture, leisure, and food, so as to further enrich the tourism industry characterized by flower viewing, catering, rafting, homestays, intangible cultural heritage experiences, and other elements.