The subtropical city of Guilin in Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, south China hosted 11.114 million tourists from home and abroad last year, a year-on-year rise of 30.1 percent, local official figures show.

According to the city statistical bureau, the city, which is said to have China's most beautiful natural scenery, received 10.306 million domestic visitors and 807,700 overseas tourists in 2004. The figures increased 27.28 percent and 81.26 percent respectively over the previous year.

The city registered a tourism income of 5.014 billion yuan (US$604.59 million) last year, up 44.66 percent over 2003.

Guilin boasts picturesque landscape with isolated peaks that appear to have grown up straight from the ground. These strange formations come into view even in the urban areas.

(Xinhua News Agency January 17, 2005)