Tourists at the Lianhua Mountain scenic area in Pingding county. [Photo/Yangquan Daily]

North China's Shanxi province recently issued the "2024 Implementation Plan for the Construction of Key Rural Tourism Villages and Towns" to accelerate the high-quality development of its rural tourism sector.

The plan proposes to transform cultural, tourism and health and wellness resources in rural areas into economic strengths. It also emphasizes the need to fully mobilize private capital as well as the broad participation of collective organizations and villagers to make innovation in the rural tourism development model.

Shanxi will foster a group of key rural tourism villages and towns to serve as typical demonstration tourist destinations. They will feature distinctive tourism products, regulated and orderly tourism markets, improved tourism supporting services, beautiful environments, as well as simple and honest rural customs.

Furthermore, according to the plan, the province will coordinate relevant government departments to effectively utilize financial capital and private capital to support the construction of infrastructure and public service facilities as well as culture, tourism, and health and wellness projects in key rural tourism areas. 

Shanxi will also identify key rural tourism villages and towns across the entire province. The evaluation work will be conducted through conference review and on-site inspections. Each city is allowed to recommend five key rural tourism villages and two key rural tourism towns (townships).