First for Guizhou as province makes top 10 in Lonely Planet's regional list

Southwest China's Guizhou province made the Lonely Planet's top 10 regions to visit in 2020.

The travel guidance publisher in China released the announcement Oct 22.

Its brand and marketing manager Li Muze says: "Guizhou is sometimes ignored by tourists, but it actually has many hidden interesting experiences."

The tempting street food, artifact boutique, and coffee and craft bars are among the highlights, Li says.

"Visitors can also go to the depths of minority ethnic villages, where pile dwellings remain the way they were centuries ago."

Every year, Lonely Planet publishes the regions list that was jointly made by its employees from its writers, bloggers and publishing partners from around the world.

The Central Asian Silk Road; Le Marche in Italy; Tohoku in Japan; Maine in the United States; Lord Howe Island in Australia; Cadiz Province in Spain; Northeast Argentina; Kvarner Gulf in Croatia and Brazilian Amazon also made the list.

New transport means, visa policy, travel and gourmet experiences are considered in developing the list, Li says.

Now, high-speed rail allows visitors to experience modernity and primitive folk customs in Guizhou from Chongqing or Yunnan province's capital Kunming in a couple of hours.

"The list can help travelers from far and wide to better understand the destination," Li says.

In recent years, with the rapid development of Guizhou's tourism industry, its mountainous landscapes and rich ethnic culture have made the province a hot destination for tourists from all over the world.

The province received more than 28.56 million tourist visits during the National Day holiday, which ended on Oct 7, a year-on-year increase of 23.91 percent, local authority reports.

Tourism revenue during the holiday reached 43.41 billion yuan ($6.13 billion), up 30.69 percent year-on-year.

The province has tapped its rich mountainous resources to develop tourism over the years.

International mountain races have been held to bring travelers closer to Guizhou's natural charm and pristine folk customs. Local government has also developed sightseeing, leisure and health preservation experiences to spice up visitor experience.

Lonely Planet's Top 10 travel regions to visit in 2020

1. Central Asian Silk Road

2. Le Marche, Italy

3. Tohoku, Japan

4. Maine, US

5. Lord Howe Island, Australia

6. Guizhou, China

7. Cadiz Province, Spain

8. Northeast Argentina

9. Kvarner Gulf, Croatia

10. Brazilian Amazon