Visionary homes in on rustic charms

For Jiang Yu's parents, a college degree meant a different life for their son who left Haiwei, a coastal village in Xiapu county, Ningde, East China's Fujian province.

But graduate Jiang decided to return in 2018 after quitting his city job.

Seeing the potential in tourism, Jiang and two of his friends set up a travel company in Xiapu in 2018 to introduce more people to the county's tourism charms.

"In Haiwei village, there are stone pillars eroded by the waves, visible only at low tide. Fuying island has large expanses of black sand beaches and huge reefs. Isolated Dongshuang island resembles a scene from the video game The Legend of Zelda, with its cliffs, grasslands and a cinematic feel," the man of the post-1990s generation says, adding that these are precious resources to be explored in Xiapu.

As a fan of outdoor adventures himself, Jiang and his team designed and promoted an off-the-beaten-path route on isolated Sishuang islands in 2019, and they are now popular among outdoor enthusiasts across the country.

From tailored tours to educational group activities, Jiang has also used social media platforms, like Douyin, to promote tourism.

With about 500 kilometers of coastline, Xiapu is home to numerous islands, where people can enjoy splendid mudflat landscapes, traditional fishing techniques, fishing boats and breathtaking sunrises and sunsets. It has become a popular destination for tourists and photographers, and provides ample evidence of how tourism has transformed a rustic county into a trendy seaside resort.

The boom has resulted in local government investment in the development of photographic vantage points and other infrastructure.

Boasting a rich maritime landscape, Xiapu had received nearly 11 million visitors from January to October, an increase of 26.23 percent from the same period last year, according to the latest official statistics. The travel boom brought tourism revenue of more than 11.8 billion yuan ($1.62 billion) to the county, data shows.

So far, there are more than 600 homestays and inns across the county, providing job opportunities to nearly 20,000 villagers.

Relying on its advantages of natural landscape, Xiapu has introduced new ideas, and developed new pathways to promote the comprehensive vitalization of rural areas, Geng Shigu, an official of the county government, says.

Last year, the county government launched a rural vitalization program to recruit specialists to provide assistance and training to villagers.

Early this year, Jiang was appointed as a special instructor with the program.

He has customized leisure activities to improve the travel experience in Doumi village and Beishuang village.

"Love for one's hometown isn't just a sentiment; it requires action," Jiang says, adding that he hopes more young Xiapu natives will return and contribute to development through tourism.