Tea tourism helps lift fortunes in rural China
Guizhou province in southwestern China is an example how the country is boosting local business by improving accessibility and infrastructure. In such remote areas, nestled between green hills and lush forests, most residents are tea farmers and had to rely on a modest average annual income of about $1,500 to make ends meet. However, since the local government launched an initiative to develop tea tourism in 2014, many fortunes changed for the better. Thanks to improvements like repainted houses and more roads, travelers are more likely to visit plantations and spend weekends or holidays in these picturesque villages. This is also reflected in residents' incomes, which have doubled on average, and has put the region on the national tea map.