China's achievements in poverty alleviation and rural revitalization have set examples for the rest of the world, with rural tourism playing a key role in transforming impoverished villages into thriving tourist destinations through agriculture-tourism integration, said UN Tourism Executive Director Liu Shijun.
The country now boasts a total of 19 "Best Tourism Villages" as recognized by the UN Tourism agency. These rural areas have become thriving economic hubs.
In a recent interview with China Global Network Television (CGTN), Liu said that China's tourism villages are showing the world how to defeat poverty and achieve rural revitalization.
"China really has a lot to share. Countries just starting out in tourism, as well as developing nations, can learn a lot from China - and even developed countries can, too. Take the 'Best Tourism Villages.' China has 19 of them. They serve as global examples of poverty alleviation and rural revitalization. No matter the size or development level of your country, there is something valuable you can learn. If you're looking for a roadmap on how to do it, the blueprint is right there," Liu said.
"This all comes down to China’s ongoing efforts to fight poverty and boost rural areas. As we know, over the past decade or so, the Chinese government has lifted nearly 100 million people out of poverty. So, we have some fantastic case studies, like the Azheke Project in Yunnan and the sites in Anji. Beyond just enjoying the event, they were able to use their own eyes to see the real changes happening in rural China. We have already passed the stage of basic poverty alleviation. We have entered the era of rural revitalization. Now, it's about how to build on that success and keep moving forward," he said.
UN Tourism's continuous recognition of China's rural destinations attests to the exemplary work of China's rural tourism industry and to global acclaim for the drastic changes taking place in rural China.
China's poverty alleviation experience through rural tourism sets example for world
A growing number of foreign visitors to China are praising what they call a “Chinese-style sense of safety” – a feeling of security that has become a recurring theme in travel vlogs and social media posts, resonating with audiences across cultural boundaries.
According to many international travelers, this sense of safety stems from China’s well-ordered society, convenient public services, and the tangible reality of how development and security reinforce each other.
Brazilian vlogger Marina Guaragna said China offers everything an ideal destination should have – convenient transportation, hospitable people, and charming scenery.
"I think it is maybe one of the easiest countries to travel I've ever been to. The system integration is amazing. You can do everything in applications. Traveling China is really easy, because the fast trains or nice trains are so fast and so easy. You can just get it, and you manage to go for a long distance in a short time. Distance that in other countries you'd take eight hours, here you can do it in two hours,” she said.
Often traveling with expensive camera equipment, Guaragna stressed that she never had to fear theft during her travels in the country.
"I walk around with my cell phone, with my equipment, my camera, everything, and nothing happened here. Even as a woman, I really feel really, really safe. And I feel safe about the country, about the people," she said.
Canadian vlogger Alina Mcleod echoed the sentiment, noting that China surpassed her expectations in multiple ways.
"It is such a big country, and I was especially impressed with how much effort goes into creating a lot of the tourist attractions. I think it was very well-managed and easy to understand how things work," said Mcleod.
"And then the other thing that I really liked was also being able to order your food from your seat. I didn't know that when I first started traveling on the (high-speed) train. I think it's such a cool idea that you can just scan a QR code and order whatever kind of food you want. They bring it directly to you," she said.
She added that for anyone who considers safety a key factor, China is absolutely a top travel destination.
"For anybody who has that as a concern, I think China is actually a great choice of destination because I really felt at ease basically everywhere I went. Personally, this is definitely a destination that I would like to see more of, and would definitely go back because there really is so much to see," said Mcleod.
Ukrainian vlogger Alex Tchaikovsky described China as a vast country where everyone can find something to their taste, praising the country’s large-scale tourism projects, well-managed public areas, and unique offerings in even small cities.
"Without any doubt, safety is the first priority here, so all the public areas are well managed. I even saw delivery guys leaving keys and their (e-)bikes when they were in a rush," he said.
Foreign vloggers praise 'Chinese-style sense of safety' that makes travel worry-free
