Guizhou is leading the way as example of poverty alleviation through tourism (2)

The Zangke River scenic area is located to the north of the Panjiang river valley area, covering an area of 259 square kilometers. The steep rocky walls to either side of the river give way to beautiful green-blue water, rolling hills and tiny fishing villages. The only sound comes from the boat moving through the water and the distant knock, knock, knock, of another house being built. Locals from this peaceful area are making the best of the new scenic area.

“I used to work in the town as a clothing business and was barely able to support my family. Now I have a happy farmhouse and my income has increased tenfold," said Qiu Xiaoying, who used her savings to buy two speedboats to carry tourists along the river.

Agriculture feeding tourism

The government doesn’t merely rely on traditional culture and local scenery to get tourists interested. They are building ski slopes, cableways, paragliding centers – the list goes on. Cleverly creating a model where each industry feeds the next, no stone is left unturned when it comes to investing in the areas that will boost the region’s income.

As an area with obvious rich soil and extensive farmland, as well as a history of farming that goes back hundreds of years, the implementation of agricultural products that are specialized to the area and can be sold to tourists domestically and also exported was the next big challenge. Luckily, Guizhou has perfect conditions for the red hearted kiwi-fruit to grow, as well as blueberries, grapes, and a variety of other delicious options. These are popular with people near and far, with 6700 mu of kiwi fruit orchards being built with over 60 million yuan of investment in this farm alone. Not one to miss a trick, the area won’t only rely on selling to towns and cities home and abroad, but will also create its own tourism, with a sightseeing and fruit picking area, perfect for a family day out.

By going full circle, all industries in Guizhou are not only self sufficient, but also connect and support other tourism avenues, too. It’s through this type of clever thinking and investment that China will continue to win the fight against poverty and has a very real chance of completely eradicating the country’s poverty by 2020.