Xuwen readies for upcoming winter tourism season

As October turned to November, the winter tourism season came one step closer to Xuwen county, Zhanjiang which will soon test its local tourist resources to present itself as an ideal winter destination.

Located in the southernmost part of the Chinese mainland, Xuwen not only enjoys the longest sunshine duration in the country, but also escapes the heat of summer and chilliness of winter. It has everything that one expects to find in a winter get-away resort, including warm sun, tropical fruits and distinctive scenic spots.

Its local Coral Reef Natural Reserve is one of only two 5A-Grade scenic spots in western Guangdong. As the origin point of Chinese trade along the Maritime Silk Road during the Western Han Dynasty (206 BC-AD 24), Xuwen was one of the first national boutique travel destinations with that historical theme.

Known for its pineapples, Xuwen is striving to build a countryside tourism zone based on the fruit. It has laid foot paths between the pineapple trees that allow one to appreciate the area's natural beauty. By adding a limo camp, tourist hotel and theme park, it also intends to build an ecological resort integrating multiple entertainment options.

Xuwen, which sits across the Qiongzhou Straits from Hainan province, has joined hands with the latter to create a cross-straits tropical tourist destination. Over the past year, promotional conferences were held in 13 counties in the two areas, joined by the launch of multiple joint tourist products and travel routes.

According to Chen Beipao, director of the Xuwen Tourism Administration, the county received 1.97 million overnight tourists in 2016, a year-on-year increase of 16 percent. Total tourist income rose by 14 percent to 467 million yuan ($70.4 million) during the same period.