In the verdant summer, with a gentle breeze, the colorfully painted walls adorned with grass and wildflowers point the way to early summer. From a distance, triangular camping tents give shape to the summer. Sitting on a swing beneath the big elm tree in Yancun Village, Longjiaquan Street, Yishui County, Shandong Province, and facing the wind blowing from the riverbank, one can truly experience the concrete embodiment of the “atmospheric” feeling of summer.
“Recently, Yancun Village and Gu’an Village near the Bashan Reservoir have become popular on Douyin (Chinese version of TikTok). Today, taking advantage of the weekend, I invited a few friends to ride along the Bashan Reservoir. The scenery along the way is beautiful, and it brings a refreshing feeling. We also plan to try the farmhouse cuisine, such as Chaishan flatbread, Chaishan pork knuckles, and stewed fish…” said Yang Chenglong, a resident enjoying his visit to Yancun Village.
In recent years, Longjiaquan Street, Yishui County, has actively embraced the new trend of “tourism + consumption” in cultural tourism development by utilizing the concept of “ancient charm and originality” for scenic spots. They have emphasized four main themes: tracing the red revolutionary history, reminiscing about hometown memories, exploring the beauty of mountains and rivers, and following the footsteps of migrants. They have connected more than a dozen villages along these themes, such as Huangjia’an, Xingjiazhuang, Gu’an, and Yancun, to form the “Guxia Lake” area. This has attracted a large number of cyclists and hikers to explore the region, and camping and picnicking have become commonplace, turning it into a popular destination for social media influencers. This has also driven significant economic development in the surrounding villages.
Taking advantage of the early summer season, the entire county has entered a peak period for tourism. Self-driving tours, rural tourism, and family trips have become the “main force” for local residents and tourists, leading to the synchronized development of rural tourism economy. Taokezi and Xiqiangyu red tourism areas in Yishui County, relying on their precious red resources and excellent ecological environment, have achieved integrated development by combining the red and green elements. The Longwu Tea Plantation in Mengshan has also attracted study tour and family tour groups from cities such as Xuzhou, Yantai, and Qingdao. The children learn about tea picking and frying, visit the Mengshan Longwu Tea Cultural Exhibition Hall, and gain in-depth knowledge of the history, culture, and traditions of tea. The newly launched immersive scenic performance at Xueshan Rainbow Valley · Yimeng Rainbow Town, featuring a red-themed cultural drama and an iron flower fireworks show at night, has become a highlight of nighttime tourism in Yishui County.
“Especially during the May Day holiday this year, the tourism market in Yishui County has remained prosperous, and the leisure and travel demands of the general public have been fully met. In response to the challenges of large numbers of tourists, multiple activities, and high demands during the holiday, various tourist attractions have made efforts in innovation and integration, offering a variety of new forms of tourism and a rich array of creative holiday activities. Rural vacation trips, self-driving suburban tours, immersive experiential tours, and cultural study tours continue to be popular cultural tourism products,” said Sun Changwen, Director of the Yishui County Cultural Tourism Development Promotion Center.
