[Photo provided to China Daily]

That's largely because local authorities declared a war on poverty several years ago, unveiling an array of measures ranging from subsidies to startup supports. But tourism has proven one of the most effective weapons in its arsenal.

The State Council outlined goals for Guizhou's tourism in a 2012 guideline. These included building Guizhou into a globally famous tourist destination, a leisure resort and a "vital platform for cultural exchange".

Transportation has proven key. Guizhou spent 410 billion yuan ($68 billion) weaving all of its 88 county-level regions into a highway network according to the 12th Five-Year Plan (2011-15).

It also opened high-speed rail lines that link the province to such major metropolises as Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou and Shenzhen. Ten airports in Guizhou serve all nine prefecture-level divisions.