Guizhou cherry blossoms draw increasing numbers of international visitors

The cherry blossoms in Gui'an New Area, Guizhou province, have recently reached their seasonal peak, drawing increasing numbers of international visitors. [Photo by Shi Zhaochang/For chinadaily.com.cn]

The cherry blossoms in Gui'an New Area, Guizhou province, have recently reached their seasonal peak, drawing increasing numbers of international visitors.

About 1,600 hectares of pink-and-white blossoms carpet the hills and lakeshores. The scenery has been hailed on social media "as beautiful as video game graphics", attracting crowds of sightseers and photographers.

Rong Xiaoxiao, chairman of a local travel agency, said the season's first international flower-viewing tour arrived near the end of February.

His company expects to host more than 50 foreign tour groups and over 1,200 visitors in March, with flower-viewing itineraries showing up in 83 percent of bookings.

Visitors have come from the United Kingdom, Thailand, and Germany, as well as traditional markets such as Singapore and Malaysia. Long-haul arrivals from Europe and North America have risen sharply, according to Rong.

The cherry blossoms in Gui'an New Area, Guizhou province, have recently reached their seasonal peak, drawing increasing numbers of international visitors. [Photo by Shi Zhaochang/For chinadaily.com.cn]

The cherry blossoms in Gui'an New Area, Guizhou province, have recently reached their seasonal peak, drawing increasing numbers of international visitors. [Photo by Shi Zhaochang/For chinadaily.com.cn]

The cherry blossoms in Gui'an New Area, Guizhou province, have recently reached their seasonal peak, drawing increasing numbers of international visitors. [Photo by Shi Zhaochang/For chinadaily.com.cn]