UN title sparks tourism boom for pear orchard

The Gaolan Shichuan Ancient Pear Orchard, about an hour north of Lanzhou in Northwest China's Gansu province, has become one of the country's leading examples of how agricultural heritage can fuel modern tourism without sacrificing authenticity.

In 2025, the orchard system was designated as a Globally Important Agricultural Heritage System by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, joining a growing list of landscapes recognized for preserving living agricultural traditions while supporting local development.

"We used to sell only pears," farmer Wei Zhouyu said, looking up into the gnarled branches of centuries-old trees. "Now we sell spring blossoms, summer refreshments and autumn fruit, while welcoming visitors for homestays and hands-on farming experiences."

Around him, visitors wandered beneath a canopy of pear trees, balancing cups of soft pear coffee and posing for photos among the orchards.

More than 9,400 pear trees in the orchard are over a century old. Rather than standing in orderly commercial rows, they are scattered among family courtyards, vegetable plots and winding village lanes.

"For us, this international recognition has created tremendous opportunities," said Zhao Guijun, director of Gaolan county's ancient pear orchard protection center.

The designation has raised the orchard's international profile, attracting visitors and government officials from countries including France, Germany and several African nations, while bringing additional resources for conservation, Zhao said. During this year's pear blossom season, more than 1 million visitors came to see the hillsides transformed into a sea of white blossoms.

"I feel so grateful to visit this beautiful and peaceful countryside," said Henry Hoffman, an economic development specialist from Albuquerque — Lanzhou's sister city in the United States. "Seeing traditional agriculture still alive is wonderful, and the fruit is delicious."

Robert Mark Nelson Jr., another visitor from Albuquerque, said the small town reminded him of home.

"Meeting local people and tasting the fruit grown here has been a wonderful experience," he said.

Wang Hu, chairman of Gaolan Honggao Cultural Tourism Industry Development, said the company is working to create attractions throughout the year. "We're building a four-season economy," he said. "People come in spring for blossoms, summer for camping, autumn for harvests and winter for snow."

The village has upgraded parking facilities, viewing platforms and walking trails while introducing folk performances, traditional crafts and immersive cultural experiences. Visitors can watch performers play the rhythmic Lanzhou Taiping Drum, learn local opera traditions or join farming workshops beneath the ancient pear trees, Wang said.

The orchard has also become an outdoor classroom, where students learn how ancient pear trees have survived for centuries through grafting, soil management and pruning techniques refined over generations.

In addition to learning agricultural practices, foreign exchange groups from countries including Canada and the Philippines enjoy trying on traditional Chinese opera costumes and performing local folk arts, such as the Taiping Drum in the pear orchard, Wang said.

For younger visitors, however, the biggest attraction may not be the centuries-old cultivation techniques but the growing range of pear-based products.

The region's famous Ruan'er pears, or "soft pears", have long been a local winter delicacy. After natural fermentation, the flesh becomes almost custard-like. Today, the fruit is also made into ice cream, coffee, dried fruit and candied snacks.

"Young people love these pear products that incorporate new elements," said Wei Yongbo, head of a local fruit cooperative.

"The fresh pear itself couldn't travel very far before. Now these innovations let visitors take our processed products home," Wei said.

Like many rural areas in China, the county has relied on value-added agricultural products, rather than raw produce alone, to drive the local economy.

According to Wei Peng, who oversees community services in Shichuan township, more than 85 percent of local households now earn an income from tourism-related businesses. Some families operate guesthouses, restaurants and educational programs, while others produce pear-based specialties, demonstrate traditional crafts or guide visitors through the orchards.

Shichuan received about 900,000 visitors in 2025, generating more than 90 million yuan ($13.25 million) in tourism revenue, he said.

Heritage sites around the world often struggle with either overtourism or stagnation. Shichuan seeks to grow tourism without overwhelming the landscape that attracts visitors in the first place, according to local authorities.

Local regulations prohibit new construction within the orchard's core protected area. Every ancient tree has its own digital record and a designated caretaker.

Traditional cultivation methods — from high-altitude pruning to biological pest control based on centuries of accumulated knowledge — are combined with modern scientific monitoring to better preserve the orchard.

"We always say protection comes first," Zhao said. "Without these ancient trees, there is nothing to develop."

Contact the writers at zhaoyimeng@chinadaily.com.cn