Yunnan receives 530m visitors in 2020

Groups of black-headed gulls spend winter in Yilong National Wetland Park in Shiping county, Yunnan province. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

Yunnan province, as one of China's most-visited tourist destinations, received more than 530 million visitors in 2020, local authorities said.

According to the Yunnan Provincial Department of Culture and Tourism, the province generated 678 billion yuan (about $104 billion) from tourism, about 60 percent of that in 2019.

Yunnan's culture and tourism sectors have been speeding the resumption of operations amid the COVID-19 epidemic. So far, 360 Class A tourist attractions have opened to the public, accounting for 97 percent of the total.

The province boasts rich tourism resources, including five UNESCO world heritage sites, such as the Old Town of Lijiang and the Hani rice terraces. It is also home to over 20 ethnic groups, a fact that appeals to both domestic and foreign tourists.