Rural tourism is on the increase in China, with rustic, country hotels benefiting from city dwellers seeking pastoral pleasures. Furthermore, with agriculture in China becoming increasingly mechanised and requiring less manual labour, some farms are also looking to provide local produce to the hotels and visitors. The Chinese government has been trying to encourage more people to visit rural areas, but it remains a challenge for many of them. Last year, 1.2 billion trips were made to village hotels, accounting for around one-third of China's total tourism, with revenue surging by 15%. Jinzao confirms that "about 70% of tourist trips on the weekends are now made to the countryside around cities".
Rural tourism is on the increase in China, with rustic, country hotels benefiting from city dwellers seeking pastoral pleasures. Furthermore, with agriculture in China becoming increasingly mechanised and requiring less manual labour, some farms are also looking to provide local produce to the hotels and visitors. China National Tourism Administration's Li Jinzao, says that "through rural tourism, farmers can reinvigorate their idle agricultural resources", and economic structure in the countryside is likely to improve. Last year, 1.2 billion trips were made to village hotels, accounting for around one-third of China's total tourism, with revenue surging by 15%. Jinzao confirms that "about 70% of tourist trips on the weekends are now made to the countryside around cities".