The Zunyi Communications, Tourism & Investment Group, in collaboration with Mafengwo, has uncovered new vitality and wild charm in the Chishui River Valley.

Recently, the Zunyi Communications, Tourism & Investment Group joined forces with the global travel guide Mafengwo to launch a series of high-profile marketing events themed “Wild Fun” in the Chishui River Valley, once again propelling Guizhou’s tourism boom to new heights. The three major themed “Wild Fun Open Classes”—focused on outdoor activities, family bonding, and weddings—quickly became viral hits among young travelers from first- and second-tier cities. Meanwhile, the “Ambition Calls” Chishui River Valley Music Festival, held from November 3 to 5, captured the attention of a large crowd of trendsetting adventurers.

“People’s impressions of Guizhou tourism generally center around natural scenery and cultural features, while their view of Zunyi often remains limited to keywords like red tourism. In fact, Zunyi’s more diverse tourism resources have not been fully recognized by travelers,” said Ruan Juan, head of Mafengwo’s “Wild Fun Open Class.” Set against the backdrop of the Chishui River Valley Travel Highway and its surrounding scenic spots, the “Wild Fun Open Class” aims to showcase the unique appeal of this emerging hot travel destination in northern Guizhou through three themes currently most popular among Chinese travelers—outdoor adventure, family fun, and romance—thereby attracting white-collar workers, families, and romantic couples to explore the Chishui River Valley.

Building on the open classes, the event also brought in professional suppliers from various fields to seamlessly connect with corresponding travel products, integrating online and offline experiences as well as promotion and product offerings. It is reported that the three themed open classes will be co-created with leading online travel service providers such as Youxiake, Buyilehu Field School, and renowned photography agency Zhi Xin Overseas Photography.

It is reported that well-known travel influencers such as global traveler Gu Yue were among the first to experience the open classes, with related themed travel notes accumulating over 300,000 views. The “Wild Fun Open Class” has allowed travelers to discover another side of the Chishui River Valley. Travel influencer Sophie wrote in her Mafengwo travel note: “Aside from knowing the Red Army story of the ‘Four Crossings of the Chishui River,’ my understanding of Chishui in Guizhou had only been superficial. It turns out there are so many hidden gems here waiting for us to uncover with our children.”

On the 27th, three themed promotional videos went viral on social media as WeChat Moment ads. According to relevant officials, the total video views exceeded ten million on the first day, marking the largest social media exposure for Zunyi tourism in Guizhou in recent years.

Among them, the outdoor adventure-themed route led by Gu Yue passes through famous attractions such as Lion Rock, Tucheng Ancient Town, Meijiu River, Maotai Town, and Tuolu Tiansheng Climbing Base. It includes challenging activities like cycling, rafting, forest camping, and waterfall climbing, winding through deep canyons and majestic waterfalls, exuding raw wilderness charm. Gu Yue said, “Many people say freedom is hard to find, but I believe it’s everyone’s instinct—simple things are the most powerful. This Chishui River Valley really feels like my own wildness and freedom.”

The family-themed promotional video stars the Zou family—Zou Mingxuan, Zou Minghao, and their mother Ran Yingying—who rose to fame through the third season of Dad, Where Are We Going? They traveled through Four Cave Gully, Bing’an Ancient Town, Chishui Grand Waterfall, Linzhou Post, and Suoluo Nature Reserve, experiencing the natural ecology of pristine forests, traditional handicrafts in ancient towns, and valley cycling, collectively showcasing a delightful family adventure in the countryside.

From November 3 to 5, alongside large-scale online exposure, an offline Chishui River Valley Music Festival will also grandly kick off. Renowned independent pop and rock artists such as Cui Jian, Zuoxiao Zuzhou, Pu Shu, Xie Tianxiao, and Gaohu from Tongyi will all make appearances. The three music stages—“Ambition Citadel,” “Chishui Fortress,” and “Secret Forest”—are spaced dozens of kilometers apart along the 160-kilometer Chishui River Valley Travel Highway. The fusion of star cycling events, celebrity talks, bold independent music, and serene natural forests will offer festival-goers the chance to enjoy music while taking in the surrounding scenery, becoming the standout highlight of the music festival.

Guizhou has recently made frequent moves in exploring new models for tourism development, significantly increasing investment and innovation. Take the country’s first river valley travel highway—the Chishui River Valley Travel Highway—as an example, which showcases a classic model of “highway + ecotourism” development.

This travel highway starts in Maotai Town, Renhuai City, passes through Tucheng Town, Xishui County, and ends in Chishui City. The entire route includes 160 kilometers of mountain bike paths paved with red asphalt and 154 kilometers of roads paved with black asphalt, connecting the rich tourism resources along the Chishui River Valley. At the same time, it is also the country’s first comprehensive fast-and-slow traffic tourism corridor with complete services. Along the route, there are 12 service stations, 26 campsites, 23 viewpoints, and rest areas, serving multiple functions including transportation, ecology, cultural dissemination, tourism, and consumption, greatly enhancing overall tourism service capabilities.

The “Wild Fun Open Class” project in the Chishui River Valley has leveraged Mafengwo’s strengths in high-quality travel guides and user-generated content, exponentially amplifying the visibility of Guizhou’s tourism resources and significantly boosting awareness and reputation among young travelers, thereby reshaping the destination brand image centered around “wild fun.” According to the official, related free independent travel (FIT) products from the “Wild Fun Open Class” will also be launched on Mafengwo’s FIT marketplace during appropriate seasons, allowing consumers to experience “influencer-style” and “celebrity-style” themed trips in the Chishui River Valley.