Tourism gives struggling Hunan community a path out of poverty

Goulanyao village in Hunan province is being hailed as a prime example of successful poverty reduction achieved by developing rural tourism.

A farming celebration festival in the village featured various folk activities that drew visitors nationwide.

Situated near the border between Hunan and the Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region, Goulanyao is home to many people of the Yao ethnic group. As a consequence of living in a remote mountain village, residents have traditionally struggled to make a living on barren land for decades. In 2012, there were 153 households with 642 people below the poverty line.