China's Xizang Autonomous Region, with its unique history, culture and unparalleled resources is gaining momentum in the cultural and tourism sector. Gala Village in Nyingchi City is now leading the way as a successful example of how rural tourism develops across Xizang.
A wild peach tree in Nyingchi. A screenshot of CGTN's "Journeys in Nature" documentary series.
Designated as one of China's first outstanding rural tourism villages, Gala is home to more than a thousand wild peach trees. It becomes a sea of delicate pink when the flowers bloom in March and April. Outside Gala Village, a stunning pink sea of wild peach blossoms can be seen at many places across Nyingchi. To better take advantage of the natural beauty, the city had launched an annual event, the Peach Blossom Tourism Cultural Festival. 2024 will see the 21st edition.
Wild peach flowers in Nyingchi. A screenshot of CGTN's "Journeys in Nature" documentary series.
Reservations at local hotels and guesthouses are increasing as tourists are rushing into the peach forest to tap into the romance of Spring. Statistics from the region's Administration of Culture and Tourism shows that Xizang's vast rural areas received about 730,000 tourists in January and February. At the Potala Palace in Lhasa, over 380,000 visitors had been received by March 15th, an increase of 25.4 percent year-on-year. The autonomous region has hosted more than 3.2 million tourists, both domestic and foreign in January and February this year.
Yarlung Zangbo Grand Canyon. A screenshot of CGTN's "Journeys in Nature" documentary series.
(Cover: landscape of Nyingchi City. /CFP