Fighting Poverty: Tourism helps poverty relief efforts

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Life in rural China is changing. In Hebei Province near Beijing, farmers are seeing their incomes double as they find new jobs in a town built for tourists. Ning Hong has more.

Attractions for tourists, and new businesses for local residents. The theme of this newly built town is rural culture. With many traditional foods and art crafts, Yi Xian is an attraction for visitors from nearby cities.

SONG XIAOQING, LOCAL RESIDENT YI XIAN COUNTY, HEBEI PROVINCE "The rent is free here. I pay ten percent of my profits to the operator of this town."

That operator is a company called Lianxiang Business Management. It built and now runs this town. The company is trying to develop new tourist attractions by reviving the rural culture of North China. Mostly food, made from local agricultural products.

ZHANG JIAN, DEPUTY MANAGER HEBEI LIANXIANG BUSINESS MANAGEMENT CO., LTD. "We're incubating small businesses for local residents. So far there are over 70 stores run by local villagers."

80 percent of stores are run by local residents. It has also benefited hotels and restaurants around town.

HAO LEZENG, RESTAURANT OWNER YI XIAN COUNTY, HEBEI PROVINCE "We have twenty tables, and they are often full of people since the town opened for tourists. Now, I have built a new hotel nearby."

NING HONG HEBEI PROVINCE "This place is now a hot spot of tourism near Beijing. Not only it brings extra income for local people. It is also setting up a good example of how tourism would help local people to get rid of poverty."

Local banks are also helping farmers who have no funds to start a business.

CUI YANHUI, LOCAL RESIDENT YI XIAN COUNTY, HEBEI PROVINCE "I used to work in cities, and now get twice the income working in my own restaurant than I did working in cities. I also have spare time to take care of my family."

MENG HONGWEI, GENERAL MANAGER SMALL LOANS, BANK OF BAODING "We provide subsidized loans of 50 thousand yuan to each household in poverty. We are setting up this branch so they have easy access."

So far this town has provided over 600 jobs for local residents, helping a nearby village reduce poverty rates. Ning Hong, CGTN, Hebei Province.