Northwest China's Gansu province has shown robust rural tourism development in 2024, as shown by its rural tourism development index unveiled in Beijing on Wednesday.

According to the data, Gansu's rural tourism sector welcomed 176 million visitors last year, a year-on-year increase of 15.07 percent. It generated 55.3 billion yuan ($7.64 billion) in tourism revenue, up 14.78 percent from the previous year.

The data was jointly launched by the Gansu provincial department of culture and tourism, China Economic Information Service, and Xinhua News Agency's Gansu branch.

He Xiaozu, director of the culture and tourism department, emphasizes that over the past five years, Gansu has prioritized rural tourism as a key driver for poverty alleviation and rural revitalization. The province aims to establish itself as a renowned rural tourism destination in western China.

Pan Haiping, chairman of CEIS, notes that Gansu stands as a vivid example of China's rural vitalization efforts and a pioneer in green development. The impressive growth in rural tourism reflects the province's commitment to ecological protection along the Yellow River Basin and its practical actions toward comprehensive rural vitalization.

Sun Ruijuan, a senior index R&D official at CEIS, highlighted the resilience and growth of Gansu's rural tourism sector.

In 2024, both visitor numbers and tourism spending surpassed pre-pandemic levels, increasing by 38 percent and 63 percent, respectively, compared to 2019.

The overall Gansu Rural Tourism Development Index reached 141.44 points, a 30-percent increase from 2019, while the market consumption potential sub-index grew by 20.88 percent.

Deng Ning, vice-dean of the School of Tourism Sciences at Beijing International Studies University, says the tourism index helps monitor policy trends and market dynamics. Deng suggests that future efforts should focus on attracting international tourists, enhancing global recognition, and leveraging AI technologies to improve visitor services and further drive high-quality tourism development.