The official Guilin smart tourism platform that started running on Feb 11 enables tourists to enjoy convenient travel services via a mobile phone.

The mobile application has functions for online ticketing, face-scanning and code-swiping, smart check-in, self-help ordering, online parking reservations, shuttle bus booking, restroom locating and weather checking. The government can therefore supervise the tourism market comprehensively from tourists’ complaints to platform acceptance, law enforcement and feedback.

Luo Jianzhang (L2), director of the Guilin Tourism Development Committee, introduces the Guilin smart tourism platform to guests. [Photo by Li Muhang/chinadaily.com.cn]

After the press conference, guests and journalists tried out the functions of the mobile application such as face-scanning, code-swiping and smart check-ins.

Guilin in Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region is the only prefecture-level city nationwide with a national tourism comprehensive reform pilot area. In recent years, it has been focused on international tourist attraction construction, infrastructure improvement and internet plus tourism development.

Zhao Leqin, Guilin municipal Party secretary, launches the Guilin smart tourism platform. [Photo by Li Muhang/chinadaily.com.cn]

In 2017, the city received more than 80 million tourists and saw a total tourism income of nearly 100 billion yuan ($15.86 billion). Both the indexes increased over 50 percent compared to those of the year before, leading to a remarkable upgrading of the reputation and popularity of Guilin tourism.

A publicity board of the Guilin smart tourism platform [Photo by Li Muhang/chinadaily.com.cn]