Pilot zones lead charge to improve scenic spots

Since 2022, the Ministry of Culture and Tourism has actively advanced the national pilot program for the integrated development of Red tourism. A total of 10 pilot zones have blazed new trails, offering an array of distinctive Red tourism routes, a surge of creative cultural products and captivating revolution-themed performances. Efforts by those zones, including Gutian town in Longyan, Fujian province, and Linyi city in Shandong province, have led to remarkable breakthroughs in the integrated development of Red tourism.

Visitors have flocked to Gutian since the beginning of the year. The Mao Zedong memorial garden and the Site of the Gutian Conference that asserted the Communist Party of China's leadership of the Red Army, both carrying profound revolutionary history, are among the tourists' hot spots.

"We got to appreciate up close the revolutionary history and culture while getting immersed in the natural environment," said Liao Xiuping, who traveled to Gutian during the May Day holiday with her family.

She said she was struck by the solemn, time-honored architecture, standing quietly against a backdrop of towering ancient trees, as well as the misty mountains and the layers of richly colored forest all around.

"But what truly moved me was the guide's vivid narration — it brought to life the stories of the revolutionary pioneers who once gathered here," she said.

These Red tourism sites are a short 40-minute coach ride from Meihua Mountain, a nature reserve and a major habitat of the South China tiger.

It's part of local efforts to promote the integrated development of revolutionary heritage and green ecological resources, said Chen Xiaoming, general manager of a local tourism development company.

Other initiatives have included hosting national events such as badminton tournaments at revolutionary base areas and launching Red tourism highway and bus routes, Chen said.

Beyond Gutian, other revolutionary sites across Longyan have focused on product innovation and thematic diversification to enrich the Red tourism experience. Local authorities have developed a diverse array of tourism products, integrating Red tourism and educational training, rural vitalization and Hakka culture.

With the growing brand influence of its revolutionary tourism offerings, Longyan welcomed some 50 million visitors to revolutionary sites from 2019 to 2023.

Longyan has also secured more than 80 million yuan ($11.1 million) in national and provincial special funds to carry out more than 90 revolutionary cultural heritage protection projects. At the same time, it has actively encouraged the participation of social forces in the protection and utilization of revolutionary relics. To date, many restaurants offer Red Army cuisines, which are popular among visitors.

At the Yunmeng scenic spot in the Yimeng Mountain Tourist Area in Linyi, Shandong, visitors can engage in immersive Red-themed education — starting with something as simple as learning how to properly fasten a leg wrap, the way Red Army soldiers used to.

Once equipped, they push carts and retrace the footsteps of the past, gaining a deeper appreciation for the hardships endured during those turbulent years.

Many travelers have left positive feedback about how they were inspired to persevere and move forward with greater resolve in both work and life after their experiences at the scenic spot.

In recent years, Linyi has taken steps to strengthen the protection and inheritance of its Red cultural heritage. A dedicated leadership team was established, and local standards such as the Linyi Red culture protection and inheritance regulations were introduced.

At the same time, the city has built a large-scale, immersive education and practice base, offering courses to ensure the revolutionary spirit is effectively passed down.

Linyi has also promoted differentiated development by categorizing Red resources along distinct thematic lines, such as the "war front" and "logistics front", to clarify development directions for each region. It has increased the influence of Red tourism, attracting more villagers to find employment or start businesses.

According to Zhong Chengchun, Party secretary of the Linyi bureau of culture and tourism, Linyi's pilot work in integrated Red tourism has shown that it is essential to highlight the guiding theme, allowing visitors to inherit revolutionary ideals through immersive experiences.

Additionally, the development must prioritize shared benefits, ensuring that the outcomes of revolutionary tourism genuinely improve people's lives, he said.