On January 28th, the Kazakhstan National Travel Agents’ Inspection and Exchange Symposium in Guizhou, themed “Building a New Silk Road Bond, Guizhou and Kazakhstan Join Hands to Write a Splendid Chapter,” was successfully held in Guiyang. Thirty-five guests from the cultural tourism, foreign affairs, sports, civil aviation, and other sectors of China and Kazakhstan gathered together to discuss friendship and cooperation, injecting new momentum into the deep integration of the cultural tourism industries of Guizhou and Kazakhstan.

Attendees of the symposium included relevant business leaders from the Guizhou Tourism Group, along with 25 industry representatives from Kazakhstan.

Prior to the exchange symposium, the delegation of Kazakh travel agents conducted on-site inspections of tourist attractions in Guiyang, Anshun, Qiandongnan Prefecture, and other areas, deeply experiencing the unique charm and cultural atmosphere of Guizhou’s mountain tourism. Both sides will take this inspection and exchange activity as an opportunity to establish a long-term, stable, and mutually beneficial cooperation mechanism, promote more Central Asian tourists to visit Guizhou, facilitate the sharing of cultural tourism resources and mutual market expansion between the two regions, and jointly write a new chapter in Silk Road cultural tourism cooperation.

Guiyang

Guiyang is the capital city of Guizhou Province in southwestern China, historically significant as a regional center since the Ming Dynasty due to its strategic location along ancient trade routes. Today, it is known as a major modern hub within the province, famous for its cool climate, lush green scenery, and the rich cultural diversity of surrounding ethnic minority groups like the Miao and Dong.

Anshun

Anshun is a city in Guizhou Province, China, historically significant as a strategic military post along the ancient Southern Silk Road. It is best known today as the gateway to the Huangguoshu Waterfall, Asia’s largest waterfall, and for its rich ethnic culture, particularly of the Bouyei and Miao peoples.

Qiandongnan Prefecture

Qiandongnan Prefecture, also known as the Qiandongnan Miao and Dong Autonomous Prefecture, is located in southeastern Guizhou Province, China. It is renowned for its rich ethnic heritage, primarily of the Miao and Dong peoples, and features traditional villages, intricate wooden architecture (like drum towers and wind-rain bridges), and vibrant festivals. Historically, the area’s distinct cultures have been preserved due to its mountainous terrain, with many traditions dating back centuries.

Guizhou

Guizhou is a mountainous province in southwestern China known for its rich ethnic diversity, with significant populations of Miao, Dong, and other minority groups. Historically a remote frontier region, it was formally integrated into imperial China during the Ming and Qing dynasties. Today, it is celebrated for its dramatic karst landscapes, traditional village architecture like the Dong people’s drum towers and wind-rain bridges, and vibrant cultural festivals.

Kazakhstan

Kazakhstan is a vast Central Asian nation with a rich nomadic history, historically inhabited by Turkic tribes and later part of the Silk Road and the Russian Empire before becoming a Soviet republic. It gained independence in 1991 and is known for its modern capital, Nur-Sultan (Astana), and its diverse landscapes ranging from steppes to mountains. Culturally, it blends ancient Turkic and nomadic traditions with significant Russian influences, evident in its cuisine, music, and the enduring practice of eagle hunting.

Silk Road

The Silk Road was an ancient network of trade routes connecting China with the Mediterranean, active from around the 2nd century BCE to the 14th century CE. It facilitated the exchange of goods like silk, spices, and technologies, while also enabling the spread of ideas, religions, and cultures across Eurasia. Its legacy lies in profoundly shaping the civilizations and economic links between the East and West.

Guizhou Tourism Group

Guizhou Tourism Group is a state-owned enterprise established in 2012 to develop and manage tourism resources within Guizhou Province, China. It plays a central role in promoting the region’s rich ethnic minority cultures and natural attractions, such as the Huangguoshu Waterfall and traditional Miao and Dong village landscapes. The group’s history is tied to the Chinese government’s strategic efforts to boost economic growth through cultural and eco-tourism in southwestern China.

Central Asia

Central Asia is a vast historical region at the crossroads of Eurasia, traditionally encompassing the modern nations of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan. It was the heart of the ancient Silk Road, fostering great empires, cities, and the exchange of goods, ideas, and cultures between East and West for centuries. Following a period of Russian and then Soviet rule, the region’s nations gained independence in 1991, each preserving unique Turkic and Persian-influenced traditions, languages, and Islamic heritage.