Taking trips to places with fewer people and beautiful natural scenery has become a trend in China since the COVID-19 pandemic. In other words, rural(乡村的) tourism is gaining popularity among Chinese tourists. Besides the influence of the pandemic, there must be some other reasons. Here are some of them.
Wang Shang works for a Beijing-based company that helps organize countryside tours. She believes that experiencing a different lifestyle is an important reason why citizens travel to rural areas. Most of the visitors from cities are used to buying food in supermarkets. But in rural areas, they can easily get them on farms. They are used to watching high buildings and busy traffic. But in rural areas, they can enjoy more peaceful and clean rivers or mountains.
Tourists' expectations for rural tourism are not limited to enjoying natural scenery and experiencing the countryside life. Cao Yiqin, a 26-year-old tourist, told us that rural trips help her not only "enjoy the natural beauty" but also "reduce stress by escaping the busy city life and getting closer to nature".
Apart from the above reasons, the government encourages cultural companies and their employees to go to the countryside to help with local business. They have brought some great changes to the rural areas, including the renovation(翻新) of the buildings, the spread of rural culture, the processing of agricultural products, etc.
The trend has also been pushed by some Chinese Internet stars. An Internet star has posted many videos of traditional Chinese rural life on the Internet and attracted a large number of viewers.