South China region eyes boosted tourist income

South China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region has set a target of 250 billion yuan (about 40.7 billion U.S. dollars) in tourist income in 2014, up 25 percent from 2013. The regional government will mainly promote three major international tourist destinations within the autonomous region including Guilin, the Beibu Gulf international tourist resort and Bama Yao Autonomous County, the residents of which have a reputation for longevity. Guangxi is famous for its spectacular landscapes and diverse ethnic customs and therefore is rich in tourism resources. The regional government will strive to make Guangxi one of the most attractive tourist destinations for both domestic and international visitors, said the local government on Tuesday. The regional government will also develop "tourist brands" around 20 counties, strengthen supervision of the tourism market, and improve the quality of local services, it said. Guangxi is situated in the southern part of China and has a border with Vietnam to the southwest. It faces the Beibu Gulf on the South China Sea. The region has a subtropical and tropical monsoon climate with rainy and warm weather.