Blossoms fuel village's tourism and vitalization

In Jinlong village, Daguan town of Nanchuan district, Chongqing, cherry blossoms have burst into full bloom, with thousands of pink blossoms creating a breathtaking scene against a backdrop of golden rapeseed fields. The stunning spring landscape is attracting throngs of visitors eager to enjoy the beauty and capture the moment of spring.

At the recent Cherry Blossom Festival, a series of events was launched to bring more joy to visitors, including a float parade, a cultural and creative market, parent-child interaction activities, and a village song contest.

"I love the countryside in springtime," said Huang Hua, a visitor from a nearby city. "It is so colorful and relaxing."

In recent years, rural tourism destinations across China have seen surging numbers of visitors during holidays as people become more interested in farming culture, which, at the same time, brings more income to local farmers.

Boasting rich natural resources, a good ecological environment and convenient transportation, Nanchuan, a suburban district of Chongqing, has integrated agriculture and tourism to boost the local economy and become one of the country's model districts for rural tourism and recreational agriculture.

In 2022, Jinlong village was selected as one of the "national key villages for rural tourism" by the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, thanks to its model of turning traditional agriculture into a modern leisure industry.

"In the past, we planted crops such as rice, corn and potato," said Luo Chunlan, Jinlong village's Party secretary.

"Now tourism creates more jobs for us and makes our village more beautiful."

Local farmers have opened restaurants, tea stalls and coffee shops for tourists, and the rural scenery has also attracted investors to open boutique homestays, she added.