Agritourism taking root and sprouting in China

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With Chinese urbanites’ increasingly diversified demand for rural homestays and sight-seeing, more advanced forms of agritourism are flourishing in the country.

Chongming Island outside Shanghai has long been a favored spot for weary urbanites looking to catch a break from the hustle and bustle of the city. Founded by Liu Haiqing, a cell phone network technician turned farmer and host, Banrixian is a local vacation farm that provides leisure activities.

Industry insiders say Banrixian is a typical example of the so-called “Agritourism 2.0,” an upgraded version of guest ranches. At the same time, other companies are making a foray into what’s known as “Agritourism 3.0,” which involves large-scale, high-tech projects integrating agriculture and tourism.

CGTN Photo

Another agritourism company rooted in Shanghai, Tony's Farm started out as an organic food producer. Now the company operates a dozen farms around the country, covering a total of around 2,000 hectares.

Echoing the Chinese central government’s blueprint to modernize the less developed rural area, the agritourism industry is putting its weight behind developing an “agriplex,” which utilizes advanced technology to upgrade both farming and tourism, while creating jobs in the countryside and helping revive rural communities.