Agriculture, culture join tourism to spur rural rebound

A mom and her boy take a stroll among the peach blossoms in Juancheng county. [Photo by Jiao Tongshuai for chinadaily.com.cn]

Juancheng county – administered by Heze city in East China's Shandong province – held its first Yao-Shun Culture and Art Festival and Peach Blossom Festival recently, showcasing its rich cultural heritage and natural beauty.

The county is home to peach orchards that have been cultivated for over 100 years. In spring, the peach blossoms create a stunning landscape that attracts thousands of tourists from near and far.

The festival featured various cultural and tourism attractions, such as a food street, drama performances, a photography contest, a calligraphy and painting exhibition and a cheongsam (qipao in Mandarin) show – highlighting the county's achievements in rural tourism development in recent years.

Juancheng has been focusing on developing its rural tourism as an important means to increase farmers' incomes, improve the rural environment and foster rural prosperity.

For example, Fengzhuang village in Zhengying town has built an ecological park with amusements, sightseeing, fishing, fruit and vegetable picking, dining and folk culture zones. The park has created 200 jobs for locals, boosting the village's collective economic income to over 100,000 yuan ($14,541).

Wangtang village in Penglou town has taken advantage of its location near Leize Lake Reservoir and Shahe Wetland to create a rural tourism characteristic village with 32 agritainment and homestay facilities and a fruit and vegetable picking garden. The village has been recognized as a Shandong province tourism demonstration village and has won other titles.

Songlou village in Jiucheng town has established a dandelion flower farm with an annual output of 15,000 kilograms. When the dandelions bloom, the village receives nearly 1,000 visitors per day and generates an annual output value of 2 million yuan. (Edited by Fan Yuanyuan)