Tech, tourism fuel "cave economy" in southwest China's mountainous regions
科技、旅游助推西南山区“山洞经济”
GUIYANG, July 6 (Xinhua) -- Helmet strapped and headlamp shining, 14-year-old Wang Zichen zipped into the shadowy depths of a karst cave, part of a growing wave of underground adventure tourism in southwest China's mountainous regions.
贵阳，7月6日（新华社）-14岁的王子辰戴着头盔，头灯闪闪发光，探进了一个溶洞阴暗的深处，这是日益上涨的中国西南山区地下探险旅游浪潮的一部分项目。
Beneath the towering peaks of Guizhou Province stretches a vast karst world filled with tens of thousands of ancient caves. Formed over hundreds of millions of years by persistent water erosion, these caves hold dramatic geological formations, rich biodiversity and traces of early human activity.
在贵州省连绵高耸的群峰之下，延展着一片广阔的喀斯特世界，遍布数以万计的古老洞穴。这些洞穴由持续的水蚀作用历经数亿年形成，蕴藏着极具视觉冲击力的地质景观、丰富的生物多样性，以及早期人类活动的遗迹。
In February, Guizhou rolled out a plan to promote classified management, ecological restoration and responsible development of cave resources, aiming to enhance their ecological, scientific and tourism values. An expanding range of cave-based ventures is now flourishing across the province, drawing visitors and boosting local economies.
今年 2 月，贵州出台方案，推进洞穴资源的分类管理、生态修复与有序开发，旨在提升洞穴资源的生态、科学与旅游价值。如今，全省以洞穴为依托的经营业态正不断拓展、蓬勃发展，既吸引了大量游客，也带动了当地经济发展。
This photo taken on July 5, 2025 shows a sign of the Eco Forum Global Guiyang 2025 in Guiyang, southwest China's Guizhou Province. (Xinhua/Yang Wenbin)
这张摄于 2025 年 7 月 5 日的照片，展示了中国西南部贵州省贵阳市 2025 贵阳全球生态论坛的会场标志。（新华社 / 杨文斌）
The province's efforts align with the theme of the ongoing Eco Forum Global Guiyang 2025, which opened Saturday in the provincial capital, highlighting the conservation and sustainable use of natural resources.
与正在进行的全球贵阳2025生态论坛的主题相一致，该论坛于周六在省会开幕，贵州省的努力强调了自然资源的保护和可持续利用。
"CAVE ECONOMY" TAKES OFF
“溶洞经济”腾飞
"It is both exciting and informative," said Wang, who explored the Forest Coolpark scenic spot nestled in Libo Karst -- part of the South China Karst, a UNESCO World Heritage Site -- with friends during his summer vacation. Inside the cave, he admired the stunning stalactites while learning about karst geology.
“这既令人兴奋又干货满满，” 王先生表示，他暑假期间和朋友一同探访了坐落于荔波喀斯特的森林清凉谷景区 —— 荔波喀斯特是中国南方喀斯特的组成部分，而中国南方喀斯特已被列入联合国教科文组织世界遗产名录。在洞内，他一边欣赏惊艳的钟乳石奇观，一边学习喀斯特地质知识。
According to Ren Peng, general manager of the scenic site, a variety of cave-based activities have been developed to suit diverse terrain, including caving adventures, sightseeing tours, cave camping and even cave hotpot dining. Since the May Day holiday this year, the site has welcomed nearly 10,000 tourists, generating over 7 million yuan (about 978,542 U.S. dollars) in revenue.
据景区总经理任鹏介绍，跟据多样地形，开发了多种以洞穴为基础的活动，包括洞穴探险、观光旅游、洞穴露营甚至山洞火锅餐饮。自今年五一假期以来，该网站已迎来近万名游客，创造了超过700万元人民币（约合978,542美元）的收入。
"We follow an ecology-first principle in our development," Ren said. "We preserve the caves' natural features while designing tour routes, and avoid any construction in deeper sections. All waste is strictly managed and removed from the caves daily."
“我们在发展中遵循生态放在首位的原则，”任说。“我们在设计游览路线的同时，保留了洞穴的原有的自然风貌，坚决避免在洞穴深处区域开展任何施工。所有废弃物均实行严格管理，并会每天从洞穴内清运出去。”
"It's necessary to develop caves based on solid scientific cave research," said Jean Bottazzi, a French caver and representative of the French Federation of Speleology in China, in an interview with Xinhua during the eco forum. He has spent over three decades studying Shuanghedong Cave, the longest known cave in Asia, located in Guizhou's Suiyang County.
“有必要在扎实的洞穴科学研究基础上开发洞穴，”法国洞穴学家、法国洞穴学联合会驻华代表让·博塔齐在贵阳全球生态论坛期间接受新华社记者采访时说。他耗费三十余年时间研究双河溶洞，这是亚洲已知最长的洞穴，位于贵州省绥阳县境内。
Over the years, Bottazzi has worked with local authorities and developers to provide expert guidance on balancing cave tourism with conservation. "It's encouraging to see that responsible development not only preserves the cave environment, but also brings economic benefits to local villagers by creating new job opportunities," he added.
多年来，博塔齐一直与地方政府及开发商合作，为平衡洞穴旅游开发与生态保护提供专业指导。“令人鼓舞的是，科学合理的开发不仅能保护洞穴生态环境，还能通过创造就业岗位为当地村民带来经济效益，” 他补充道。
According to incomplete statistics, the direct market size of Guizhou's cave tourism sector has reached an estimated 1 billion yuan.
据不完全统计，贵州溶洞旅游板块直接市场规模预计已达10亿元。
In addition to tourism, many caves have been creatively repurposed for commercial use. Some have been transformed into restaurants, bars and homestays, while others serve as sites for winemaking, mushroom cultivation, or even data storage, taking advantage of their naturally stable temperature and humidity.
除了发展旅游业，许多洞穴还被创造性改造，用于商业领域。其中一些被改造成餐馆、酒吧和特色民宿，另一些则借助洞内天然稳定的温湿度条件，用作酿酒、种植蘑菇乃至数据存储中心。
"These caves, once dormant in the depths of the mountains, are now awakening as unique assets of the region. They are no longer just natural wonders, but also cultural and economic symbols," said Qin Xiaokang, deputy director of the culture, radio, television and tourism bureau of Libo County.
荔波县文化广电和旅游局副局长秦小康说：“这些曾经蛰伏在大山深处的溶洞，如今正作为该地区的独特资产苏醒，它们不再只是自然奇观，也是文化和经济的象征。”
This photo taken on July 4, 2025 shows the intelligent tourism system of Zhijindong Cave UNESCO Global Geopark in Bijie, southwest China's Guizhou Province. (Xinhua/Wu Si)
这张照片拍摄于2025年7月4日，展示了中国西南部贵州省毕节市织金洞联合国教科文组织世界地质公园的智能旅游系统。（新华社/吴思）
MODERN TECH MOVES IN
现代科技的降临
Speaking at a sub-forum of the ongoing event, Hassina Mouri, president of the International Union of Geological Sciences, emphasized the role of innovative technologies in promoting environmental engagement. "By using tools like big data and artificial intelligence, we detect, predict and better comprehend the interactions among different parts of our natural environment."
哈西娜・穆里（Hassina Mouri）—— 国际地质科学联合会主席，在本届论坛的分论坛上发言时强调，创新技术在推动环境互动中发挥着重要作用。“借助大数据、人工智能等工具，我们能够检测、预测自然环境的变化，进而更深入地理解自然环境各部分之间的相互作用。”
In an interview with Xinhua, Zhou Wenlong, deputy director of the Guizhou Institute of Mountain Resources, said high-tech tools are playing a key role in addressing the challenges of karst cave conservation and development.
贵州山地资源研究所副所长周文龙在接受新华社采访时表示，高科技产品在应对溶洞保护和开发的挑战方面发挥着关键作用。
"Some caves have fragile ecosystems and complex terrains that are difficult to access," Zhou said. "We use terrestrial laser scanning technology to produce high-precision 3D models of cave interiors, and leverage digital tools to offer virtual access to these delicate sites."
“有些洞穴生态系统脆弱，地形复杂，难以进入，”周说。“我们使用地面激光扫描技术来制作洞穴内部的高精度3D模型，并利用数字工具来提供对这些特殊地点的模拟探索。”
These technologies have already been applied in Zhijindong Cave UNESCO Global Geopark in Guizhou's Bijie City. According to Liu Haibo, general manager of Guizhou Zhijindong Cave Tourism Development Co., Ltd., the geopark first completed a full laser scan of the caves in 2015, with a second scan planned for next year.
这些技术已在联合国教科文组织世界地质公园 —— 贵州毕节织金洞得到应用。据贵州织金洞旅游开发有限公司总经理刘海波介绍，该地质公园于 2015 年首次完成了溶洞的全激光空间扫描，并计划于明年开展第二次全激光扫描。
"By comparing the records, we can monitor the condition of each stalactite, whether it's growing or damaged, and adjust our conservation and development strategy accordingly," Liu said.
“通过比较记录，我们可以监测每块钟乳石的情况，无论是生长还是受损情况，并相应地调整我们的保护和开发策略，”刘说。
Since 2019, the geopark has also introduced an intelligent tourism system to monitor cave temperature, humidity, carbon dioxide levels and visitor flow in real time, helping to ensure both landscape protection and tourist safety.
该地质公园还于 2019 年起部署了一套智能旅游系统，用于实时监测洞穴内温湿度、二氧化碳浓度及游客人流量，从而既保障洞穴景观保护，又确保游客安全。
China's green development practices are drawing international recognition. "The ideas and approaches taken in China's green provinces to balance economic growth and environmental protection are applicable everywhere," said Erik Solheim, former United Nations under-secretary-general. "Many cities in the developing world could look to China for inspiration."
中国的绿色发展实践正在赢得国际认可。联合国前副秘书长埃里克·索尔海姆说：“中国绿色省采取的平衡经济增长和环境保护的思路和做法在任何地方都适用。”“发展中国家的许多城市可以向中国寻求灵感。”中国的绿色发展实践正获得国际认可。联合国前副秘书长埃里克・索尔海姆表示：“中国绿色省份平衡经济增长与环境保护的理念和方法适用于任何地方，发展中国家的许多城市都可以从中国汲取灵感。”
(Reporting by Wang Yihan, Wu Si)
（王仪涵、吴思报道）
