On March 21, the Gansu Rural Tourism Development Index Release and the "Traveling with Solar Terms to Explore the Countryside" event were held at the Wanwusheng Scenic Area of Bailucang in Maiji District, Tianshui City.

At the launch ceremony, an index researcher from China Economic Information Service of Xinhua News Agency released the China·Gansu Rural Tourism Development Index Report (2025), which summarized the achievements of Gansu's rural tourism development during the 14th Five-Year Plan period and outlined the vision for high-quality development during the 15th Five-Year Plan period. The Gansu Provincial Department of Culture and Tourism launched the year-round "Traveling with Solar Terms to Explore the Countryside" campaign, which follows the traditional Chinese 24 solar terms and features 162 high-quality rural tourism routes across four major themes, connecting destinations throughout the year and across the entire region. Certifications were also presented to tourist homestays rated as Class A and Class B national-level tourism homestays in 2025.

The year 2026 marks the seventh year of the joint release of the Rural Tourism Index by China Economic Information Service of Xinhua News Agency and the Gansu Provincial Department of Culture and Tourism. Over the past seven years, the release event, with its forward-looking perspective and guiding significance, has served as a "bellwether" and "barometer" for the development of rural tourism in Gansu. It has received strong recognition from the Provincial Party Committee, the Provincial Government, and the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, and has earned widespread acclaim from all sectors of society.

During the 14th Five-Year Plan period, Gansu Province established 30 rural tourism demonstration counties, 300 model villages for cultural and tourism revitalization, 50 national-level key rural tourism villages and towns, and 51 national-level graded tourist homestays. Both the quantity and quality of these achievements ranked among the top in the country. Zhagana in Gannan was honored as a "Best Tourism Village" by the United Nations World Tourism Organization, becoming a shining showcase of Gansu tourism on the world stage. The province received 749 million rural tourist visits, generating total tourism revenue of 237.5 billion yuan, which were 1.8 times and 2.5 times the figures during the 13th Five-Year Plan period, respectively. Rural tourism has become an important pillar for revitalizing rural areas and enhancing the well-being of local communities.

The Gansu Provincial Department of Culture and Tourism sincerely invites friends from home and abroad to follow the solar terms and visit the Gansu region, to explore the poetic countryside of "spring rain stirs spring, clear and grain rain," to experience the vibrant scenes of "summer begins, summer full, summer heat follows," to savor the abundant harvest of "autumn begins, autumn ends, white dew, cold dew, frost descends," and to appreciate the warm folk customs of "winter begins, winter ends, minor snow, major snow, minor cold, major cold." From the lush tea gardens in the Jiangnan region of Gansu to the farmyards on the Loess Plateau, from the ancient ferry ports along the Yellow River to the pastoral resorts on the snow-covered plateau, from the traditional charm of "intangible cultural heritage workshops" to the contemporary allure of "harmonious and beautiful villages," visitors can immerse themselves in the rural beauty and local customs. This initiative will promote the mutual empowerment of rural tourism and solar term culture, and align rural tourism with the holistic development of tourism across the region, ensuring that Gansu's countryside is endowed with both scenic charm and cultural depth, as well as both vibrant daily life and poetic appeal.