Leading role of tourism

Zhuangzimao is a slice of the robust rural tourism development across Gansu in 2024, as shown by the province's rural tourism development index unveiled in Beijing in mid-March.

According to the data, Gansu's rural tourism sector welcomed 176 million visitors last year, a year-on-year increase of 15.07 percent. It generated 55.3 billion yuan in tourism revenue, up 14.78 percent from the previous year.

The data was jointly launched by the culture and tourism department in Gansu and China Economic Information Service, a subsidiary under the Xinhua News Agency.

He Xiaozu, director of Gansu's culture and tourism department, emphasizes that over the past five years, Gansu has prioritized rural tourism as a key driver for poverty alleviation and rural vitalization. The province aims to establish itself as a renowned rural tourism destination in western China.

"Rural tourism has become the backbone of Gansu's hospitality industry, accounting for half of its success," He says, highlighting the province's remarkable achievements in rural vitalization through tourism.

By the end of 2023, the province had established 21 rural tourism demonstration counties, 200 model villages for cultural and tourism-driven rural vitalization, and 530 rural tourism cooperatives.

Additionally, 44 villages and six towns were recognized by the National Development and Reform Commission and the Ministry of Culture and Tourism as major national rural tourism destinations, He says.

About a three-hour drive away from Zhuangzimao, Heimu village of Heshui county, Qingyang, has leveraged its picturesque landscape featuring lush forests and distinctive farming to woo travelers seeking natural beauty, authentic rural experiences, and innovative agricultural-tourism integration.

Locals have developed a series of unique experiences, such as feeding deer, wild boars and ostriches, camping under the stars at a vast meadow campground and farm-to-table dining at an eco-farm.

"These small attractions have not only brought in tourists but also boosted the local economy," says Wang Baobao, a local villager.

During holidays, those spots have been bustling with family travelers, he says.

Meanwhile, local delicacies such as buckwheat noodles and stewed chicken are in high demand, delighting visitors and increasing villagers' incomes, Wang says.

At the Heimuya eco-farm, several new projects have been up and running, including a visitor service center, a traditional handicraft workshop area, a shared dining space, cave-style homestays, a parent-child experiences-themed farm, and a parking lot.

"These developments will enhance our tourism capacity and provide a better experience for visitors," Wang explains.

At the rural tourism development index launch event in Beijing, Sun Ruijuan, a senior index R&D official at China Economic Information Service, highlighted the resilience and growth of Gansu's rural tourism sector.

In 2024, both visitor numbers and tourism spending passed pre-pandemic levels, increasing by 38 percent and 63 percent, respectively, compared to 2019.

Pan Haiping, chairman of the China Economic Information Service, notes that Gansu stands as a vivid example of China's rural vitalization efforts and a pioneer in green development.

The impressive growth in rural tourism reflects the province's commitment to ecological protection along the Yellow River Basin and its practical actions toward comprehensive rural vitalization, Pan says.