The province has one of China's biggest reserves of bauxite and it is the largest coal producer in southern China.

It also boasts abundant and diverse nature. More than 4,900 kinds of herbs used in traditional Chinese medicine are grown in Guizhou, the second-largest amount in the country. Forests cover 34.9 percent of its land.

The golden monkey, clouded leopard and South China Tiger are among the more than 1,000 animal species living in the province.

It is considered a giant air conditioner because of its agreeable subtropical climate. At an average altitude of 1,100 m, most of the province is cool in summer and warm in winter.

Scenic karst landscapes - including the greatest number of karst caves in the world - comprise 61.9 percent of the province's landmass. There are 948 streams longer than 10 km and more than 10,000 waterfalls.

Francesco Frangialli, secretary general of the World Tourism Organization, praised Guizhou as a province of "colorful scenery, good liquor, profound culture and charming singing and dancing".

Wang said the province's priority in its promotion campaign is to attract people to its most charming emerald - Libo county in southern Guizhou that has 20,000 hectares of karst outcrops covered in lush vegetation.

The Libo National Nature Reserve joined the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO)'s program on Man and the Biosphere in 1996.

It was added to UNESCO's World Natural Heritage List last year, joining the designation known as the South China Karst, which also includes Chongqing Wulong Karst and Yunnan Shilin Karst.

Its rising fame has boosted Libo county's tourism industry, which increased by 80 percent last year over 2006. It registered tourism income of 78 million yuan in just one golden-week holiday of 2007.

Rich in culture

In addition to its natural assets, Guizhou is also rich in culture, especially minority cultures.

It is among provinces that contain the most minority groups in the nation. Over 37 percent of the total population of Guizhou is Yao, Miao, Yi, Qiang, Dong, Zhuang, Buyi, Bai, Tujia, Gelao or Shui.

The Dong people are renowned for singing. Without a written language, they pass along their culture through harmonious folk songs. In 1993, a troupe of Dong singers won a gold prize at the International Music Festival in France.

Wang said Guizhou must pay equal attention to economic development and environmental protection.

Shi Zongyuan, secretary of the CPC Guizhou Provincial Committee, once said "to conserve mountains and rivers is itself a big political achievement".

Wang said he strongly agrees, noting blind pursuit of economic growth will not leave a green environment to the next generation.

He added that environmental protection and tourism development cannot be achieved without including the economic interests of farmers.

"Only when farmers gain benefits from modern tourism and modern culture can they have more awareness and make greater efforts to protect the environment," he said.

As a result of the effort, the province has gradually realized its potential in tourism, which is becoming one of the province's most productive industries.

From 2000 to 2001, tourism revenue maintained an average growth rate of 30 percent annually, said Fu Yingchun, deputy director of the province's tourism administration.

Tourism generated 16.8 billion yuan in 2004, or one-tenth of Guizhou's gross domestic product, he said.

Wang noted the province is accelerating tourism infrastructure construction to meet growing needs. An additional 12 five-star hotels, six of them in Zunyi, will augment the three existing five-star hotels in the provincial capital Guiyang and 17 four-star hotels province-wide.

Located in the southwest of China, Guizhou is regarded by many as a remote mountainous province. The province has an area of 176,167 sq km, and a population of 39.31 million by 2005.