7 Chinese villages recognized as Best Tourism Villages by UN Tourism

An aerial drone photo taken on July 19, 2024 shows the view of Azheke Village in Yuanyang County of Honghe Hani and Yi Autonomous Prefecture, southwest China's Yunnan Province. Seven villages in China have been honored as Best Tourism Villages by the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UN Tourism) in its 2024 selection, according to the Ministry of Culture and Tourism. Announced at a UN Tourism meeting held in Cartagena, Colombia on Friday Beijing Time, the seven new additions bring the total number of Chinese villages recognized as Best Tourism Villages to 15, making China the country with the highest number of villages holding this title. The seven Chinese villages picked by UN Tourism this year are Azheke Village in Yunnan, Guanyang Village in Fujian, Shibadong Village in Hunan, Taoping Village in Sichuan, Xiaogang Village in Anhui, Xitou Village in Zhejiang and Yandunjiao Village in Shandong. (Photo by Zhang Yan/Xinhua)

BEIJING, Nov. 15 (Xinhua) -- Seven villages in China have been honored as Best Tourism Villages by the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UN Tourism) in its 2024 selection, according to the Ministry of Culture and Tourism.

Announced at a UN Tourism meeting held in Cartagena, Colombia on Friday Beijing Time, the seven new additions bring the total number of Chinese villages recognized as Best Tourism Villages to 15, making China the country with the highest number of villages holding this title.

The seven Chinese villages picked by UN Tourism this year are Azheke Village in Yunnan, Guanyang Village in Fujian, Shibadong Village in Hunan, Taoping Village in Sichuan, Xiaogang Village in Anhui, Xitou Village in Zhejiang and Yandunjiao Village in Shandong.

Spanning eastern, central and western regions of the country, these villages are highly representative in terms of geography, culture and development models -- highlighting the remarkable achievements of rural tourism development across China.

For example, Yunnan's Azheke Village, nestled in the heart of the Honghe Hani Rice Terraces, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, has embraced a unique approach to tourism development. Villagers have contributed resources such as terraces, houses and traditional ways of life, creating a model of collective participation and shared prosperity.

Shibadong Village in Hunan, meanwhile, serves as a landmark in China's poverty reduction efforts. It is the birthplace of the concept of "targeted poverty alleviation" -- a key strategy that enabled China to lift nearly 100 million people out of poverty. By integrating culture and tourism to drive new momentum for rural development, the once-impoverished village now showcases China's rural revitalization success to the world.

Anhui's Xiaogang, a village where China's rural reform began over four decades ago, is another location making strides on its new journey toward achieving rural revitalization. Today, visitors from across the globe can witness the profound changes China has undergone by exploring this village.

To promote rural tourism, UN Tourism launched the Best Tourism Villages project in 2021 to recognize villages across the world that are leading the way in nurturing rural areas and preserving landscapes, cultural diversity, local values and culinary traditions.

An aerial drone photo taken on April 24, 2024 shows the view of Azheke Village in Yuanyang County of Honghe Hani and Yi Autonomous Prefecture, southwest China's Yunnan Province. Seven villages in China have been honored as Best Tourism Villages by the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UN Tourism) in its 2024 selection, according to the Ministry of Culture and Tourism. (Photo by Zhang Yan/Xinhua)

Students and tourists sketch at the Yunshuiyao scenic spot in Guanyang Village of Nanjing County, southeast China's Fujian Province, Aug. 17, 2021. Seven villages in China have been honored as Best Tourism Villages by the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UN Tourism) in its 2024 selection, according to the Ministry of Culture and Tourism. (Xinhua/Song Weiwei)

Tourists visit Guanyang Village of Nanjing County, southeast China's Fujian Province, Aug. 17, 2021. Seven villages in China have been honored as Best Tourism Villages by the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UN Tourism) in its 2024 selection, according to the Ministry of Culture and Tourism. (Xinhua/Song Weiwei)

An aerial drone photo taken on Oct. 10, 2023 shows the view of Shibadong Village of Xiangxi Tujia and Miao Autonomous Prefecture, central China's Hunan Province. Seven villages in China have been honored as Best Tourism Villages by the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UN Tourism) in its 2024 selection, according to the Ministry of Culture and Tourism. (Xinhua/Chen Sihan)

An aerial drone photo taken on Feb. 24, 2022 shows a view of the snow-covered Shibadong Village of Xiangxi Tujia and Miao Autonomous Prefecture, central China's Hunan Province. Seven villages in China have been honored as Best Tourism Villages by the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UN Tourism) in its 2024 selection, according to the Ministry of Culture and Tourism. (Photo by Long Enze/Xinhua)

An aerial drone photo taken on Sept. 13, 2023 shows a view of Taoping Village in Lixian County of Aba Tibetan and Qiang Autonomous Prefecture in southwest China's Sichuan Province. Seven villages in China have been honored as Best Tourism Villages by the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UN Tourism) in its 2024 selection, according to the Ministry of Culture and Tourism. (Xinhua/Wang Xi)

Villagers do needlework in front of their house in Taoping Village in Lixian County of Aba Tibetan and Qiang Autonomous Prefecture in southwest China's Sichuan Province, Sept. 13, 2023. Seven villages in China have been honored as Best Tourism Villages by the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UN Tourism) in its 2024 selection, according to the Ministry of Culture and Tourism. (Xinhua/Wang Xi)

An aerial drone photo taken on Sept. 27, 2024 shows the view of Xiaogang Village in Fengyang County of Chuzhou, east China's Anhui Province. Seven villages in China have been honored as Best Tourism Villages by the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UN Tourism) in its 2024 selection, according to the Ministry of Culture and Tourism. (Xinhua/Zhang Duan)

An aerial drone photo taken on Sept. 26, 2024 shows the view of Xiaogang Village in Fengyang County of Chuzhou, east China's Anhui Province. Seven villages in China have been honored as Best Tourism Villages by the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UN Tourism) in its 2024 selection, according to the Ministry of Culture and Tourism. (Xinhua/Zhang Duan)

An aerial drone photo taken on Sept. 24, 2019 shows a view of Xitou Village of Longquan City in Lishui, east China's Zhejiang Province. Seven villages in China have been honored as Best Tourism Villages by the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UN Tourism) in its 2024 selection, according to the Ministry of Culture and Tourism. (Photo by Zhang Yougang/Xinhua)

Longquan celadon wares are displayed at an exhibition in Xitou Village of Longquan City in Lishui, east China's Zhejiang Province, May 13, 2023. Seven villages in China have been honored as Best Tourism Villages by the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UN Tourism) in its 2024 selection, according to the Ministry of Culture and Tourism. (Photo by Zhang Yougang/Xinhua)

An aerial drone photo taken on Aug. 7, 2024 shows a view of Yandunjiao Village of Rongcheng, east China's Shandong Province. Seven villages in China have been honored as Best Tourism Villages by the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UN Tourism) in its 2024 selection, according to the Ministry of Culture and Tourism. (Photo by Li Xinjun/Xinhua)

This photo taken on Dec. 17, 2023 shows a view of the snow-covered Yandunjiao Village of Rongcheng, east China's Shandong Province. Seven villages in China have been honored as Best Tourism Villages by the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UN Tourism) in its 2024 selection, according to the Ministry of Culture and Tourism. (Photo by Li Xinjun/Xinhua)