Getting in on the act

With visitor numbers rising every year, Yongding county has seen a surge in revenue from tourism. However, Mao Gaoliang, Party secretary of Yongding, is still not satisfied and he's troubled by missed opportunities.

"Because of a shortage of other facilities and nice hotels, most tour groups stay in our county for just a few hours," he said. "They only visit the tulou near the entrance of the resort and don't stay or even eat here."

He said income from ticket sales is so low that it's hard to raise local people's incomes.

So, to expand local tourism, generate jobs and allow visitors to fully experience tulou life and culture, the county plans to combine culture with tourism by encouraging companies to film movies and episodes of well-known TV shows in the area.

"We plan to stage tulou-themed outdoor performances with large casts, mainly local farmers, on May 1 next year," Mao says. "We will speed up construction of the facilities and a number of tourist projects, such as a hot-spring holiday village, an ancient Hakka town, a Nanshan holiday district, and a movie and TV production base, are being built."

Mao is confident that once these projects are put into operation, Yongding will become a modern tourist resort that will easily cater to the demands of different consumer groups. Visitors will be encouraged to stay in the area for three or four days.

"Those who have visited Yongding before will be surprised by the changes," he promises.

(China Daily Africa Weekly 08/16/2013 page25)