Zhangjiajie casts off poverty through tourism

Dubbed “Big bonsai, small paradise”, Zhangjiajie, an up-and-coming prefecture-level city in the northwestern part of Hunan Province in central China, is becoming known for its unique tourist attractions. Verdant mountains, clear waters, terraces and waterfalls, scenic views scatter across its countryside, while distinctive farming and signs of traditional communist culture imbue Zhangjiajie with charm.

Classic travel routes string together the various landscapes, such as Binlang Valley, Honghe Valley, Stockade 48, Qingfeng Gorge and Baofeng Mountain. These sceneries attract tourists from all over the world. With an increase in popularity, Zhangjiajie is lifting more and more of its residents out of poverty.

Yongding District, situated in the core of Zhangjiajie, is famous for its landmarks as well as rich history and culture.

With a subtropical climate, the district is composed of mountains, streams, dense forests, caves, a countryside, vast tracts of orchards, flowers and more.

Yongding is inhabited with 15 minority groups including the Tujia, Bai and Miao, and the traditions of each group enrich Yongding with culture and arts.

With its proximity to Sichuan, Yongding was of great military importance and has long flourished in the realm of business. The tales, historical sites and cultural relics add myth to the region.

The district encourages locals to dust off old poverty by developing rural tourism. Currently there are two provincial-level tourism towns, four villages, ten national-level pilot welfare through tourism villages and more than 480 agritourism and leisure farms in Yongding.

In 2016, rural tourism alone in Yongding attracted 1.86 million visits, generated 370 million yuan (U.S. $54.8 million) in revenue, aided 4,000 impoverished people. In total, the area received 28.5 million tourists both domestic and foreign and generated 28.8 billion yuan (U.S. $4.27 billion).

The flourishing tourism industry has been a big boon to the income of locals.