The Department of Housing and Urban-Rural Development, together with the Department of Culture and Tourism in Jiangsu Province recommended 22 quality rural tourism routes during a conference on April 28 ahead of the May Day holiday.

The routes across the province’s 13 cities that have subordinate districts feature cultural heritages, folk customs, celebrity legacies, road trips, sightseeing and homestays. The destinations will provide great experiences to individual visitors, families, foodies, or those simply wishing to relax and recharge.

Photo taken on April 5, 2021 shows a boy picking strawberry at a farm in Tongshan district, Xuzhou. Photo/CFP

Liu Dawei, deputy director of the department, said these 22 routes represent the rich tourism resources in the countryside and showcase the province’s history, culture and natural charms. Most of the villages in the routes are located in suburbs so they are ideal for weekend and shorter trips.

This year, more tourists have chosen to visit destinations close to cities or in the rural areas in order to spend less time travelling. During the 3-day Qingming Festival holiday, 764 rural tourism sites received over 6.28 million visitors, up 14.97% year-on-year than in 2019, according to Shao Xuewen, director of the Resource Development Department of the Jiangsu Provincial Department of Culture and Tourism. Rural tourism saw a revenue of 3.198 billion yuan during the holiday, a growth of 16.96% year-on-year compared with 2019, showing a strong recovery after the disruption caused by COVID-19.

Jiangsu will strengthen efforts to preserve the tourism resources in villages named in the 22 routes, keeping traditions alive and promoting an integrated and sustainable development approach.

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