The China Intangible Cultural Heritage (ICH) Protection Association recently announced the 2022 national intangible cultural heritage and tourism integration development project items. Luocheng Cotton Tiankeng Tourist Resort in Hechi made the cut as the only listed project in Guangxi.

The listed ICH and tourism integration development projects include ICH scenic spots, as well as ICH tourism towns, blocks, and villages, totaling 200 items.

Luocheng Cotton Tiankeng Tourist Resort is located in Mianhua village, Siba town, Luocheng Mulam autonomous county. It is a cultural tourism poverty-alleviation project that the people's government of Luocheng Mulam autonomous county focused on in 2017. It was developed and constructed by Guangxi Yuetou Group with an investment of 320 million yuan ($44 million). It covers an area of more than 2,000 mu (133 hectares) and consists of three parts: Cotton Tiankeng Scenic Area, Mulam Characteristic Village in China, and Changsheng Cave Scenic Area.

Since it opened in April 2019, Luocheng Cotton Tiankeng Tourist Resort has welcomed 300,000 tourists annually and more than 1 million in total. As a byproduct, it has greatly alleviated the poverty of 6,849 people in 75 villages, including Mianhua and Jihuan.

An aerial view of Luocheng Cotton Tiankeng Tourist Resort. [Photo/Guangxi Daily]