7 Chinese villages recognized as Best Tourism Villages by UN Tourism aiming to preserve rural landscapes and cultural diversity.
Seven Chinese villages have been recognized as Best Tourism Villages by the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) in its 2024 selection, according to China’s Ministry of Culture and Tourism.
The announcement, made during a UNWTO meeting in Cartagena, Colombia, highlighted the addition of these villages, bringing China’s total to 15 recognized Best Tourism Villages – the highest number for any country.
The newly recognized villages include Azheke Village in Yunnan, Guanyang Village in Fujian, Shibadong Village in Hunan, Taoping Village in Sichuan, Xiaogang Village in Anhui, Xitou Village in Zhejiang, and Yandunjiao Village in Shandong. Spanning China’s eastern, central, and western regions, they exemplify diverse geographical, cultural, and developmental success stories within rural tourism.
Azheke Village in Yunnan, part of the Honghe Hani Rice Terraces UNESCO World Heritage Site, has fostered tourism through collective contributions from locals, preserving traditional practices and creating shared prosperity. Similarly, Shibadong Village in Hunan, known for initiating “targeted poverty alleviation,” has become a symbol of China’s successful poverty reduction and rural revitalization efforts by merging cultural and tourism-driven development.
Xiaogang Village in Anhui, known for spearheading China’s rural reforms decades ago, continues to thrive as a showcase of rural revitalization and transformation, attracting international visitors keen to observe China’s progress.
The UNWTO’s Best Tourism Villages initiative, launched in 2021, aims to celebrate villages that lead in preserving rural landscapes, cultural diversity, local traditions, and culinary heritage.
Related Posts
Xi Jinping stresses efforts to promote high-quality development of tourism sector
