A bird's-eye view of Dongluo village. [Photo provided to etaizhou.gov.cn]
Once a little-known village, Dongluo in Qianduo town, Xinghua, Jiangsu province, has now gained national and global recognition for its thriving tourism industry.
The village has been designated as a national key rural tourism village and a beautiful leisure village of China. In October last year, it was named one of the world's "Best Tourism Villages" by the UN World Tourism Organization, becoming the first village in Jiangsu to earn this prestigious honor.
Amid China's wave of rural vitalization, what exactly did this small village do right?
In 2007, as rural tourism began to flourish, Dongluo was eager to participate. Under the leadership of the then village secretary, Luo Baotian, villagers embarked on their first round of environmental improvements, building 14 flush toilets and converting pigsties and dry toilets into fitness and parking areas. That year, the village won first prize in the rural environment improvement competition in Xinghua.
In June 2017, Jiangsu initiated the construction of characteristic villages. In response, Dongluo transformed idle school buildings into boutique guesthouses, converted old temples into village halls, and restored traditional residences with blue bricks and gray tiles. Creative murals and coffee houses adorned the village, gradually reviving the once dilapidated village in just a few years.
Meanwhile, neighboring Dongwang village, close to the popular Qianduo Scenic Area in Xinghua, has experienced a surge in farmhouses and guesthouses, creating significant competition.
Dongluo village chose not to replicate others but instead emphasized its unique cultural essence. "We not only preserve the 'form' of the village but also the 'soul' of nostalgia," said Gong Changxin, head of Qianduo town. The village's Dongluo Autumn Harvest Exhibition Hall showcases traditional farming tools and immigration history, and offers courses on Duotian agrosystem, one of the globally important agricultural heritage systems, to bring the cultural heritage to life.
The town also collaborates closely with cultural and tourism departments, platform companies, and neighboring towns to connect attractions such as Shagou Ancient Town and Dazong Lake. Together, they pave the way for mutual benefit in rural tourism.
From foundational improvements to innovative models, from heritage activation to regional collaboration, Dongluo's success is a testament to hitting the keynotes of rural vitalization at every step.