Villagers return in tourism boom
Print Edition
A BOOM in rural tourism has seen villagers returning in droves to the village of Shanping in southwest China’s Guizhou Province.
Before 2013, more than half the population were migrant workers.
Deng Chengyong runs an inn and restaurant catering for city dwellers who flock to the village for its breath-taking scenery. He easily makes 140,000 yuan (US$22,550) a year, far more than his old factory job in the city.
Last year alone, China saw some 1.2 billion visits made to the countryside, accounting for a third of all holidays. Rural tourism created 22 million jobs in 2014 for farmers, whose average income increased by 9,700 yuan, Shao Qiwei, head of the China Tourism Association, told the recent Eco Forum Global annual conference in Guiyang, Guizhou’s capital.
“Wonderful nature, healthy food and a laid-back lifestyle make rural vacations attractive,” Shao said. “In China, there is still so much potential.”
In 2013, after more than 20 years working in far-off cities, Deng heard that the local government was promoting farm tourism in Shanping. He jumped at the chance to move back home.
More people are joining him as China encourages migrant workers to return home to start their own businesses. The central government is ramping up investment for supportive infrastructure, and a document was issued earlier this year promising favorable policies to promote rural tourism.
The market is expanding off the back of increasing disposable incomes and improved transport as city dwellers seek respite in the countryside, generating business opportunities for rural residents.
So far, more than 8 million farmers are said to have been lifted out of poverty thanks to rural tourism.
China plans to build 150,000 tourism villages and 3 million inns in preparation for more than 2 billion rural visits by 2020. By then, about 50 million farmers will benefit, and around 1 million rural residents each year will no longer live below the breadline.
“Rural tourism not only helps farmers financially, but also means people will no longer have to move to the big cities,” Shao said.
Living in the country also has social benefits for residents.
“Some have formed an orchestra,” said Huang Guangming, head of Shanping’s village committee. There are also groups for painting, calligraphy, photography and dancing.
- About Us
- |
- Terms of Use
- |
-
RSS - |
- Privacy Policy
- |
- Contact Us
- |
- Shanghai Call Center: 962288
- |
- Tip-off hotline: 52920043
- 沪ICP证：沪ICP备05050403号-1
- |
- 互联网新闻信息服务许可证：31120180004
- |
- 网络视听许可证：0909346
- |
- 广播电视节目制作许可证：沪字第354号
- |
- 增值电信业务经营许可证：沪B2-20120012
Copyright © 1999- Shanghai Daily. All rights reserved.Preferably viewed with Internet Explorer 8 or newer browsers.
