Seven villages in China were recognized among the Best Tourism Villages 2024 by the United Nations World Tourism Organization at its 122nd session of the Executive Council on Friday in Cartagena, Colombia.

Selected for their blend of cultural preservation and sustainable tourism, the villages are: Azheke in Yunnan province, Guanyang in Fujian province, Shibadong in Hunan province, Taoping in Sichuan province, Xiaogang in Anhui province, Xitou in Zhejiang province, and Yandunjiao in Shandong province. 

The seven villages represent a cross-section of China's vast rural terrain and its deep cultural reservoir, stretching from the highlands and the plains of central China, to the coastal islands of the east. They encompass different communities including the Hakka, Miao and Hani people, each presenting a distinct perspective of China's multifaceted identity.

Launched in 2021, the UNWTO's Best Tourism Villages program honors destinations using tourism as a vehicle to preserve landscapes, cultural practices, ecological and culinary diversity. With this year's additions, China now has 15 villages on the list, reflecting the country's commitment to preserving rural heritage amid modernization.

Rural tourism has emerged as a pivotal economic driver in the nation, as destinations welcomed 2.25 billion visitors in the initial three quarters of this year, yielding 1.32 trillion yuan ($182.85 billion) in revenue — an approximate 10 percent rise compared to the previous year, as reported by the Ministry of Culture and Tourism.

Azheke in Yunnan province

Surrounded by cascading rice terraces and verdant greenery, over 60 "mushroom cottages" with brick walls and thatched roofs are regarded by experts as the best-preserved cluster of Hani ethnic group traditional architecture in Yuanyang county, Yunnan province.

For more than 160 years, the tiny village named Azheke has been home to the Hani ethnic group, a name which matches its lush vegetation that means "a place where bamboo forests flourish" in the Hani language.

Guanyang in Fujian province

Nestled among rolling green mountains in Nanjing county, Zhangzhou, Fujian province, time feels suspended in Guanyang village.

At the foot of the peaks, lush fields stretch toward a winding creek, where eight ancient banyan trees form a natural canopy.

This village, with a history spanning over 700 years, has become a portal to the past, drawing nearly 3 million visitors each year.

Shibadong in Hunan province

Over the past decade, Shibadong village in the Xiangxi Tujia and Miao autonomous prefecture in Hunan province has undergone a remarkable transformation.

Once an isolated and impoverished village, it has evolved into a modern community boasting improved infrastructure, thriving tourism and a pristine environment.

Taoping in Sichuan province

Located in a picturesque valley east of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, Taoping village in Lixian county, Sichuan province, is a land of idyllic beauty that boasts the marvelous heritage of one of China's oldest ethnic groups — the Qiang.

The village has one of the best-preserved ancient Qiang architectural complexes with a history of 2,000 years. As part of the village, the Qiang stockaded village is a whole entity formed by 98 interconnected stone houses and two nine-story watchtowers.

Xiaogang in Anhui province

Located in Fengyang county of East China's Anhui province, Xiaogang village draws tourists for its idyllic scenery, agriculture, rural reform and folk customs.

In 1978, 18 local farmers made a bold decision and secretly signed an agreement to individually cultivate collective plots of land, setting a milestone for China's rural reform.

Tourists can now visit the thatched cabin where they signed the agreement, which was inscribed as a national-level cultural heritage site. There is also an exhibition hall about China's rural reform and achievements.

Xitou in Zhejiang province

Tucked away in the mountainous region of Longquan, Zhejiang province, Xitou village is a place steeped in a millennium-long tradition of celadon porcelain making. Here, families have protected and handed down their artisanal techniques through the generations, preserving a cultural heritage that continues to define the village.

The village, with a history of 1,400 years, boasts seven ancient kilns still in use, a testament to its rich porcelain culture. The largest is a snake-shaped kiln nestled along a mountain. In 2009, the traditional wood-fired technique of Longquan celadon porcelain was recognized by UNESCO as an Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.

Yandunjiao in Shandong province

With thousands of whooper swans enjoying their winter time at the fishing village Yandunjiao in Rongcheng, Shandong province, Yu Haiyang has no time to appreciate the graceful scene, busy as he is greeting his homestay guests.

Under the seaweed-thatched roof, the 35-year-old homestay owner wants to let his guests feel the authentic and genuine experience with homemade meals using local ingredients and a short escape from city life.