Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs

China's Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs recently held a spring-themed leisure tourism promotion event for rural areas, unveiling 60 tourism routes and 185 scenic spots. Rural areas have become popular domestic destinations for Chinese tourists. During the three-day Qingming Festival holiday that ended on April 6, rural travel orders skyrocketed 239 percent year on year, according to Chinese online travel agency Ctrip. People enjoy pear blossoms in Huaibei city, east China's Anhui Province. (Photo/Feng Shufeng) In recent years, China's rural tourism has entered a fast lane of development. Regions across the country have continuously improved infrastructure such as roads, power supply, water supply, and communications in rural areas, and also built rural book houses, reading rooms, activity rooms, rural stages, and other cultural facilities. They have also developed various tourism forms, giving rural tourism a deeper significance. Rural areas have once again become places that tourists are eager to visit, as they can appreciate pristine natural landscapes while feeling the vibrant atmosphere through rural tourism. Thanks to the integration of ecology and tourism in many places across China, an increasing number of people who previously worked outside their hometowns have returned to start businesses. For example, several tea-themed tourist…