Guiyang was honored as the City of the Year at the 2025 New Weekly Awards ceremony in Shanghai on Dec 19, organized by New Weekly magazine.

Guiyang's city view. [Photo/WeChat account of Shuangshuang Guiyang]

Since its inception in 2001, the New Weekly Awards has grown into a distinct media, cultural, and thought-leadership platform, recognized as one of China's foremost barometers of emerging trends and innovative forces shaping mainstream society.

In its citation for Guiyang, New Weekly described it as a rare duality among Chinese cities: it is both the hardcore "China's Data Valley" and a laid-back "Capital of Coffee". It possesses the most rational data-driven mindset, yet pulses with the wild and vibrant energy of roadside concerts. From the simmering hotpot of sour soup to the rich notes of hand-brewed coffee on street corners, Guiyang integrates grand high-tech narratives into the subtle details of everyday life. It is a living symbiosis of cyberpunk and pastoral poetry – amid the torrent of a fast-paced era, Guiyang preserves the warmth of human connection through the leisure of a cup of coffee and the duration of a song.

In recent years, Guiyang has introduced seasonal activities, including flower appreciation, summer retreats, and hot spring seasons, integrating culture, sports, commerce, and tourism to drive new dynamics. Emerging cultural IPs like roadside concerts, ethnic unity parades, Guiyang coffee, and the Guiyang Marathon have gained widespread popularity, making youth-oriented trends and novel experiences the hottest keywords in Guiyang's tourism landscape.

Today, Guiyang has become a highly sought-after destination, attracting nearby and distant visitors.