SW China province aims to cut poverty through tourism

GUIZHOU - Southwest China's Guizhou Province plans to lift at least one million people out of poverty in the coming five years through tourism.

The landlocked province aims to draw more sightseers and hikers to its mountain ranges and ethnic communities, facilitated by a network of high speed railways, expressways and air routes, according to the provincial government's blueprint on tourism released Saturday.

By cooperating with other provinces, municipalities and autonomous regions, Guizhou hopes to become a major attraction for visitors to China.

Meanwhile, Guizhou Province plans to launch 20 local routes, grouping its 100 most popular destinations, 100 routes for hikers and mountaineers and 1,000 villages featuring unique ethnic culture and lifestyles, the document said.

The province also hopes to attract urbanites to its "hospitality farms," with activities such as the planting and harvesting of grain, fruit and vegetables, farm produce tasting and unique country accommodation, according to the plan.

Guizhou, a largely underdeveloped province with a population of 35 million, has more than 18,000 mountain villages, of which 426 are classed as "communities with unique traditions."

By 2020, at least 1,000 villages will become major tourist destinations. The income from such activities will hopefully benefit the the rural population, the document said.