The Poverty Alleviation Road Through Culture and Tourism
Of Zhuoshui in Qianjiang District, a National Class-5A Scenic Spot
(January 6, 2021)Recently, the Ministry of culture and tourism of the people’s Republic of China announced 21 newly identified class-5A scenic spots in China. Zhuoshui scenic spot in Qianjiang district, as the only new class-5A scenic spot in Chongqing, has been listed.
Zhuoshui ancient town picture by Wan Hongmei
Zhuoshui scenic spot , as the most famous and popular spot in Qianjiang district, has been attracting tourists from all over the world through the powerful appeal of cultural and tourism resources in the process of creating class-5A scenic spot. With the increasing influence of the scenic spot, the local government is more excited that the cultural and tourism resources have helped the local people out of poverty and embarked on a road to prosperity.
scenic spot transformation increasing local people's income
Alpine potatoes, dried cowpeas, native eggs, old Mozi mung bean powder and buckwheat noodles in Yantang village of Zhuoshui are now available in the local specialty stores of Zhuoshui scenic area. After having fun in the scenic area, tourists often make kinds of local products full of their cars, and the the local people have a stable way to increase their income through the production and sales of these local products.
Taking the creation of class-5A scenic spot as an opportunity, Qianjiang Zhuoshui scenic spot in Chongqing made the scenic spot transform and the local people increase income. At the same time, the whole Qianjiang district of Chongqing has also made full use of its unique cultural and tourism resources to create a model for poverty alleviation.
According to the relevant people in charge of Qianjiang Culture and Tourism Commission and Qianjiang Tourism Investment Company, the culture and tourism targeted poverty alleviation in Zhuoshui scenic spot was promoted by the Poverty Alleviation Office of the State Council as a demonstration sample of “tourism + poverty alleviation”. It is understood that in the process of the establishment of Zhuoshui scenic spot, Qianjiang tourism investment has implemented more than 10 key projects, created more than 3000 jobs and solved 1130 local employment problems, and Qianjiang Tourism Investment Company gave priority to the employment of poor households. In addition, 123 households were relocated from other places for poverty alleviation, and 5A resettlement area was planned to accommodate 50 households.
The first wind and rain porch bridge in the world picture by Wan Hongmei
Driving out of Zhuoshui scenic spot on Chongqing to Hunan Expressway, as soon as you get out of the toll station, you can see Zhuoshui, a millennium old town, and the quiet Apeng River, just like a huge traditional Chinese painting on the earth. History and the rich resources left by God for Zhuoshui and Qianjiang River,with the establishment of Zhuoshui class-5A scenic spot, the local “cultural and tourism poverty alleviation”policy is truly infiltrating the people living here for generations.
“Our family’s income was less than 5,000 yuan every year before the scenic spot was built and opened, but now we can reach more than 30,000 yuan.” Speaking of the changes that the scenic spot has brought to families, Xu Guilan, who works in the Puhua Underground River agricultural experience Park in Zhuoshui scenic spot, has deep feelings. She told reporters that with the construction of the scenic spot, she leased their land to the spot and also worked there. Their family was poor, but now the land rental income and salary are enough to make them live a decent life in the local area.
The situation of Xu Guilan’s family is only a microcosm of the cultural tourism poverty alleviation in the Zhuoshui scenic spot of Qianjiang River. According to the official statistics of Qianjiang Culture and Tourism Commission and Qianjiang Tourism Investment Company, before the upgrading and expansion of the scenic spot, the popularity and influence of the spot was far from reaching the level of benefiting the local people. There were many poor people in the local area, and the annual income of their families was only about 10,000 yuan. With the upgrading and establishment of the national class-5A scenic spot, 315 rural poor households have benefited directly through land leasing, of which 25 special poor households directly work in the agricultural experience Park of the scenic spot. The annual fixed income of these beneficiaries has exceeded 30,000 yuan, which does not include the income of various local products sold in the scenic spot. According to statistics, Zhuoshui scenic spot in Qianjiang has benefited nearly 30,000 people around and along the “one river and two banks” of Apeng River through cultural and tourism poverty alleviation, becoming a poverty alleviation demonstration scenic spot in Chongqing.
cultural tourism promotion gathering popularity
As the leader and center of Southeast Chongqing, Qianjiang is known as “China’s canyon city and Wuling’s reception hall”. There are many unique natural and cultural landscape resources such as Zhuoshui scenic area, Xiaonanhai, urban Grand Canyon, thirteen traditional villages, Apeng River, etc.
However, due to the lack of publicity and promotion efforts, these beautiful scenes couldn’t be known, showing the embarrassment of the local people holding “gold” but suffering from poverty. With the increase of domestic economy, tourism products have become a must for more and more Chinese families. The local government and tourism departments began to upgrade the scenic resources, and increased the publicity and promotion of cultural tourism resources.
strolling on the first wind and rain porch bridge in the world and enjoying the scenery on both sides picture by Wan Hongmei
According to the relevant person in charge of Qianjiang Tourism Investment Comany, Qianjiang Culture and Tourism Commission and relevant departments have adopted the “please go out and come in” policy in recent years by online and offline three-dimensional publicity and promotion mode, gradually making Qianjiang and its major scenic spots deeply rooted in the hearts of the people. Canglang bridge,the first wind and rain porch bridge in the world, has been popular online, and even become a place for dating of lovers among the country.
“Every year, we sign strategic cooperation with travel agencies all over the country, and regularly promote our tourism resources in Shanghai, Shandong, Shaanxi, Sichuan and other economically developed regions and surrounding provinces and cities. At the same time, we invite writers, poets and other cultural celebrities to come to Qianjiang and create literary works related. The scenic spots also regularly launch literary and artistic activities with strong regional characteristics of ethnic minorities. Through this series of three-dimensional promotion, the number of tourists and the popularity of the scenic spots has greatly increased. In 2019, the number of tourists in the region reached 30 million, and the comprehensive income reached 16 billion yuan. ” the head of Qianjiang Tourism Investment Company said.
The influx of non-local visitors is the basis for the local people to benefit directly. “If there are no tourists, no matter how good the tourism resources are,everything is empty talk.” According to the relevant person in charge of Qianjiang Tourism Investment, while strengthening the hardware construction of tourism resources, such as the construction of scenic spots and the expansion of hotels, the district also strives to create a soft environment for tourism and cultural services, and strive to make every tourist come and return happily. Only in this way can we truly satisfy the tourists, bring benefits to the local people directly, and achieve the original goal of poverty alleviation by culture and tourism.
Zhuoshui scenic spot exit picture by Wan Hongmei
It is understood that at present, with the approved class-5A Zhuoshui scenic spot as the representative of Qianjiang tourism, there are seven class-4A and one 5A scenic spots, including Xiaonanhai, Tujia thirteen traditional villages, urban Grand Canyon, Shengui Gorge, Shuicheping, Alice manor, etc., with the total tourism resources ranking the second in the city and the first in Southeast Chongqing. It is striving to build 2 class-5A + 10 class-4A tourism scenic spots array. These unique tourist attractions are attracting more and more Chinese and foreign tourists to travel for vacation and leisure through their own charm, becoming a banner of domestic cultural tourism poverty alleviation. (reported by Wu Hongjin)