Hong Kong Artists Explored a "Fortune"-Themed Journey Through Guizhou, Praising a Carefully Curated Spring Itinerary

Invited to mark the arrival of spring, a group of artists traveled through villages and historic sites in southwest China, encountering rituals, landscapes, and everyday traditions along the way.

GUIYANG, China, Feb. 11, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- As spring arrived in Guizhou in early February, a group of Hong Kong artists found themselves traveling through the province, moving between historic towns, village rituals, and shared meals tied to the rhythms of the season. Their journey, timed to Lichun—the traditional Beginning of Spring—took shape across several days and locations, offering a close look at how local customs, landscapes, and everyday life intersect at the turning of the year. The artists, including Natalis Chan Pak-Cheung, Eddie Cheung Siu-fai, Edwin Siu Ching Nam, Priscilla Wong Tsui-yu, and Jacquelin Ch'ng Se Min, were taking part in a "Fortune"-themed itinerary introduced in Guiyang at the 2026 Spring Tourism Product Promotional Conference, hosted by Guizhou Tourism Industry Development Group.

During the days leading up to the Spring Festival, the artists traveled through Guizhou as blessing rituals and seasonal customs came into focus across the province. Their journey, which ran from February 3 to 6, moved through a series of settings tied to ideas of fortune and renewal, from hands-on craft traditions to shared meals shaped by ritual practice. At Colorful Guizhou City, they moved between expressions of different ethnic cultures, cutting "Fu" characters from paper, learning traditional batik techniques, preparing matcha, and sitting down to a meal inspired by the ceremonial traditions of Nuo opera. Several Guizhou dishes, each associated with good fortune and blessings, stood out as among the most memorable parts of the experience.

At Yunfeng Tunpu, on the outskirts of Anshun, stone-walled lanes and squat watchtowers give the village the feel of a place suspended in time, their origins tracing back to the Ming era. Shaped by more than six centuries of military garrison history and the traditions of Dixi, or ground opera, the setting drew the artists into its rhythms almost immediately. They painted masks, put on traditional costumes, and stepped into Dixi performances themselves, later describing Yunfeng Tunpu as "a living history book" that offers a tactile sense of how China's traditional culture continues to endure.

By the end of the journey, the theme that framed the itinerary had receded into the background, replaced by moments drawn from daily life—shared meals, local rituals, and time spent moving through landscapes shaped by history. The artists reflected on Guizhou through what they saw and experienced firsthand, from village customs to everyday scenes that rarely make it into travel brochures. Traveling alongside artists from Hong Kong and Macao, the journey opened a window onto the province for audiences beyond the region, carried not by slogans but by stories shaped through direct encounter.

In Biasha, a village often described as "China's last gunman tribe," the artists encountered a set of blessing rituals still woven into daily life. Ceremonial gunfire marked prayers for good fortune, village elders led well-wishing rites, and fortune-seeking ceremonies took place beneath ancient trees that anchor the community's sense of continuity. Through these encounters, the artists came to understand Biasha's tree culture, shaped by a long-standing relationship between people and the natural world. They planted saplings of their own, and as they pressed soil around the young trees, reflected quietly on ideas of resilience, renewal, and life taking root in a landscape shaped by time.

Food became a steady companion throughout the journey, with meals offering an introduction to Guizhou's regional cooking traditions. At the Jun Tun and the Miao Long-Table banquets, dishes arrived one after another, each reflecting a different facet of local cuisine. Natalis Chan lingered over a sour soup chicken served at the Jun Tun Banquet, describing it as "refreshingly tangy, flavorful, and wonderfully tender—an unforgettable taste of Guizhou." Drinks, including locally roasted coffee and tart sea buckthorn juice, rounded out the meals with flavors distinctive to the region. Traveling in small groups and compact vehicles, an approach deliberately adopted by Guizhou Tourism Industry Development Group, the artists moved easily between stops, an unhurried pace that Eddie Cheung later pointed to as one of the journey's strengths.

** The press release content is from PR Newswire. Bastille Post is not involved in its creation. **

Hong Kong Artists Explored a "Fortune"-Themed Journey Through Guizhou, Praising a Carefully Curated Spring Itinerary

Hong Kong Artists Explored a "Fortune"-Themed Journey Through Guizhou, Praising a Carefully Curated Spring Itinerary

Hong Kong Artists Explored a "Fortune"-Themed Journey Through Guizhou, Praising a Carefully Curated Spring Itinerary

Hong Kong Artists Explored a "Fortune"-Themed Journey Through Guizhou, Praising a Carefully Curated Spring Itinerary

Hong Kong Artists Explored a "Fortune"-Themed Journey Through Guizhou, Praising a Carefully Curated Spring Itinerary

― Demand for solo travel expands both domestically and internationally, with domestic solo travel interest up 17% year on year ―

TOKYO, Feb. 11, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Digital travel platform Agoda has released the latest search data on "solo travel" among Japanese travelers. According to accommodation search data from Agoda, interest in solo travel among Japanese travelers increased by 11% year on year for international travel and by 17% for domestic travel, revealing that demand for traveling alone is steadily expanding both within Japan and abroad.

The data compares search activity by Japanese solo travelers from January 1 to December 31, 2025, with the same period in the previous year (2024).

• Popular Overseas Travel Destinations Among Japanese Solo Travelers 
  For international travel, the cities that attracted the most interest from Japanese solo travelers are as follows:

1. Seoul
2. Bangkok
3. Taipei
4. Hong Kong
5. Honolulu

All of these cities share the advantages of convenient access from Japan, a strong sense of safety, and well-developed transportation infrastructure, making them popular choices as easy and reassuring destinations for first-time solo overseas travelers.

Among them, Seoul stands out as a particularly popular destination for solo travelers, especially for trips focused on beauty and wellness. In addition, the ability to efficiently enjoy a wide range of experiences—such as dining, shopping, and sightseeing - even during short stays is also believed to be a key factor driving its appeal among Japanese solo travelers.

• Domestic Solo Travel Interest Also Expands, Especially in Regional Cities

For domestic travel, interest in solo travel increased by 17% year on year, surpassing the growth seen in international travel.

The cities with the highest search volumes among Japanese solo travelers were major urban centers such as Tokyo, Osaka, Fukuoka, Sapporo, and Yokohama.

Meanwhile, the following regional cities emerged as destinations with particularly high growth in demand for solo travel.

• Chiba (up 67% year on year)
• Takamatsu (up 62% year on year)
• Okayama (up 46% year on year)
• Izumisano (up 41% year on year)
• Saitama (up 40% year on year)

Many of these cities are characterized by convenient access to major airports or the presence of an airport, suggesting that they are being chosen not only for domestic trips but also as gateways for solo travel abroad.

In particular, Takamatsu and Okayama stand out for their strong balance of convenience and tourism resources despite being regional cities and have garnered especially high popularity among Japanese solo travelers.

These findings reflect a growing interest in regional cities that allow travelers to avoid crowds and enjoy trips at their own pace, as well as the needs of solo travelers who place importance on flexible itineraries centered around airports.

Tadashi Ikai, Senior Country Director for Japan at Agoda shared, "In Japan, solo travel is becoming established not as a special travel style, but as an everyday choice. Domestically, interest is growing in regional cities, while internationally, travelers are interested in destinations that are easy to access and offer a sense of safety and comfort during their stay. Agoda will continue to provide accommodation options and travel products that cater to the diverse needs of solo travelers."

Travelers can seamlessly search and book more than 6 million accommodations, 130,000+ flight routes, and 300,000+ activities through Agoda's platform. Attractive accommodation deals can be easily found via the Agoda mobile app or official website (Agoda.com).

― Demand for solo travel expands both domestically and internationally, with domestic solo travel interest up 17% year on year ―

TOKYO, Feb. 11, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Digital travel platform Agoda has released the latest search data on "solo travel" among Japanese travelers. According to accommodation search data from Agoda, interest in solo travel among Japanese travelers increased by 11% year on year for international travel and by 17% for domestic travel, revealing that demand for traveling alone is steadily expanding both within Japan and abroad.

The data compares search activity by Japanese solo travelers from January 1 to December 31, 2025, with the same period in the previous year (2024).

• Popular Overseas Travel Destinations Among Japanese Solo Travelers 
  For international travel, the cities that attracted the most interest from Japanese solo travelers are as follows:

All of these cities share the advantages of convenient access from Japan, a strong sense of safety, and well-developed transportation infrastructure, making them popular choices as easy and reassuring destinations for first-time solo overseas travelers.

Among them, Seoul stands out as a particularly popular destination for solo travelers, especially for trips focused on beauty and wellness. In addition, the ability to efficiently enjoy a wide range of experiences—such as dining, shopping, and sightseeing - even during short stays is also believed to be a key factor driving its appeal among Japanese solo travelers.

• Domestic Solo Travel Interest Also Expands, Especially in Regional Cities

For domestic travel, interest in solo travel increased by 17% year on year, surpassing the growth seen in international travel.

The cities with the highest search volumes among Japanese solo travelers were major urban centers such as Tokyo, Osaka, Fukuoka, Sapporo, and Yokohama.

Meanwhile, the following regional cities emerged as destinations with particularly high growth in demand for solo travel.

• Chiba (up 67% year on year)
• Takamatsu (up 62% year on year)
• Okayama (up 46% year on year)
• Izumisano (up 41% year on year)
• Saitama (up 40% year on year)

Many of these cities are characterized by convenient access to major airports or the presence of an airport, suggesting that they are being chosen not only for domestic trips but also as gateways for solo travel abroad.

In particular, Takamatsu and Okayama stand out for their strong balance of convenience and tourism resources despite being regional cities and have garnered especially high popularity among Japanese solo travelers.

These findings reflect a growing interest in regional cities that allow travelers to avoid crowds and enjoy trips at their own pace, as well as the needs of solo travelers who place importance on flexible itineraries centered around airports.

Tadashi Ikai, Senior Country Director for Japan at Agoda shared, "In Japan, solo travel is becoming established not as a special travel style, but as an everyday choice. Domestically, interest is growing in regional cities, while internationally, travelers are interested in destinations that are easy to access and offer a sense of safety and comfort during their stay. Agoda will continue to provide accommodation options and travel products that cater to the diverse needs of solo travelers."

Travelers can seamlessly search and book more than 6 million accommodations, 130,000+ flight routes, and 300,000+ activities through Agoda's platform. Attractive accommodation deals can be easily found via the Agoda mobile app or official website (Agoda.com).

** The press release content is from PR Newswire. Bastille Post is not involved in its creation. **

Agoda Announces Japanese "Solo Travel" Trends