Rural tourism surges in China

Since the beginning of this year, China's tourism industry has seen an accelerated recovery, with rural tourism increasingly becoming the preferred choice for an increasing number of domestic tourists. Integrating rural tourism with multiple sectors has boosted high-quality development in rural areas.

China's Ministry of Culture and Tourism (MCT) recently rolled out 82 high-quality rural tourism routes across the country. Highlighting the distinctive natural scenery, seasonal produce, folk customs, and everyday lives associated with the 24 solar terms on the traditional Chinese calendar, these routes have offered novel tourism experiences in rural China to visitors, and have represented another innovative initiative for the integrated development of agriculture, culture, and tourism.

Photo shows a farm in Tanbuduan village, Yifeng county, east China's Jiangxi Province. (Photo/Zhou Liang)

Numerous tourists flocked to rural areas across the country in the past five-day May Day holiday, as new rural tourism products became quite attractive to them.

Changning and Getang villages in east China's Zhejiang Province held fun activities like "treasure hunting" and collecting eggs, while several rural scenic areas in Lin'an district of the provincial capital Hangzhou launched distinctive parent-child activities to enable visitors to experience farming activities.

In Guanyin village, Nanchuan district, southwest China's Chongqing Municipality, tourists can stroll along an ancient path, saunter on a rural fair, sip tea at tea houses, and camp by the lakeside and beside blossoms. This new development model has combined agriculture, culture, tourism and outdoor activities.

The village has launched a tourism route themed on natural landscapes, historical heritage and folk customs, and has attracted visitors and expanded the visibility of local agricultural products and culture.

Diverse tourism experiences in rural areas have enticed visitors to linger longer and immerse themselves more deeply in the local culture and ways of life.

The growth of rural tourism has made more and more local specialties known to a wider audience, and has facilitated the sales of these products.

Tianshui malatang, the numbing-spicy hotpot from Tianshui city in northwest China's Gansu Province, has thrust the quaint city into the online spotlight, and has captivated flocks of tourists.

To attract tourists to the countryside of Tianshui, the city's culture and tourism bureau recently launched 16 premium rural tourism routes that encompass scenic landscapes, unique activities, cuisine, accommodations, recreation, experiential programs, study tours, wellness, and more, including one in Gangu county.

Gangu pepper used in Tianshui malatang is key to the dish's unique flavor. It tastes good, but is not as spicy as some other types. Gangu pepper has been exported to overseas markets like Malaysia and South Korea.

The thriving tourism sector has boosted the sales of Guangu pepper. According to an executive of a local pepper company, its peak daily sales volume has exceeded 50,000 yuan ($6,911), a remarkable increase from some 8,000 yuan in the past.

Tourism authorities have built digital platforms for rural tourism to optimize and merge rural tourism resources.

Kids fly kites at a scenic area in Shiji township, Sihong county, east China's Jiangsu Province. (Photo/Zhang Lianhua)

Xiangcheng district in Suzhou city, east China's Jiangsu Province, has vigorously promoted the digital development of rural tourism. It has over 300 agriculture-related e-commerce enterprises, and its e-commerce sales of agricultural products reached 1.1 billion yuan in 2023.

Since 2023, the MCT's resource development department has guided internet platforms like Douyin, Alibaba, and Baidu to jointly carry out a campaign to promote digital rural tourism with the local administrative departments of culture and tourism.

This has helped explore new paths for integrating rural tourism with the digital economy, covering over 20,000 rural tourism operators in 1,138 districts and counties of 31 provincial-level regions across China. The campaign has directly attracted nearly 20 million tourist visits to rural areas.