Guilin's river tourism booms for Chinese New Year

Guilin's river tourism saw a spectacular surge over the 2026 Chinese New Year holiday, with more than 800,000 visitors taking to the city's waterways safely.

Daily visitor numbers hit a high of 144,300 on the fourth day of the holiday, a clear sign of the sector's booming vitality.

Maritime authorities conduct both on-site and drone patrols for enhanced protection. [Photo/Guangxi Daily]

All river travel routes recorded strong visitor growth. The classic Lijiang River tour was the top choice, with an average of 10,300 daily visitors and over 100 boat trips running for five straight days.

The river tour to Xingping Fishing Village in Xingping town, known for its stunning natural scenery and rich cultural heritage, hit a single-day visitor peak of 9,177.

Rafting experiences also grew in popularity. Raft trips on the Yulong River and Lijiang River saw single-day highs of 51,400 and 33,000 visitors respectively, jumping 18.28 percent and 54.35 percent year-on-year. The sharp rises highlight Guilin's enduring appeal as a top river travel destination.

Tight safety measures were put in place to support the holiday travel rush. Enhanced oversight was applied to key routes, with complete safety checks for all tourist boats and rafts before departure. Patrol boats were stationed at key water sections to prevent overloading and unregulated navigation.

Maritime authorities maintain patrols and monitor key waterways. [Photo/Guangxi Daily]

Hi-tech supervision and emergency response were also strengthened. Exact weather alerts were sent via phone and WeChat groups, and a 24-hour emergency duty system was in place.

In Yangshuo's Lijiang River area, nine emergency speedboats and 16 rafts were on standby, enabling a 5-minute response to incidents such as visitors falling into the water.