Reporter of this newspaper Cao Shiyun, Shang Kaiyuan, Zhang Zhiwen
In the Hatta Dam Scenic Area in the small town of Hatta in the United Arab Emirates, tourists are boating. Photo by reporter Zhang Zhiwen
The small town of Saint-Emilion, located in the southwest of France, is known for its medieval-style architecture and fine wine estates, attracting around 1 million visitors a year. Photo by reporter Shang Kaiyuan
In recent years, the forms of global rural tourism have become more diverse and the scale has continued to expand. Many countries have fully explored the natural ecology, history and culture of rural areas, and continuously extended the rural tourism industry chain to create it into a new growth point. With the support of the government and industry associations, some villages and towns in Indonesia, France and the United Arab Emirates are actively protecting and developing unique tourism resources to help the sustainable development of local social and economic development.
Penripuran Village, Indonesia –
Protect the ecological environment and create a sustainable tourism business card
In the countryside surrounded by the mountains of Bali, Indonesia, lies a characteristic traditional village and town, Penlipran Village. In October 2023, Penripuran Village was included in the 2023 list of "Best Tourist Villages" by the United Nations Tourism Organization.
Stroll along the quaint stone-brick path of Penripuran Village, where rows of quaint bamboo buildings are nestled in lush greenery and manicured gardens are dotted out. The bamboo roof is a unique architectural feature here, and the locals call it the main gate house of the temple, and the name of the owner is written on the entrance of the house. Roofs, porches, gates, furniture, etc., are made of straw, coconut wood, bamboo, teak, etc., and paints are made of clay.
On the streets, there are garbage cans every 30 meters, local residents consciously abide by the rules of not littering, and children are taught the importance of protecting the environment from an early age. Streets, corners, street lights, signage...... Everything in the village is cleaned up and cleaned. Every month, the housewives of the village get together to recycle and sort the garbage, such as organic waste can be made into fertilizer, and some garbage that is temporarily useless is put into a "garbage bank" for other use. Motor vehicles are also prohibited in the village, and visitors can use low-carbon methods such as walking or cycling.
The Penlipuran Village Cultural Festival is one of the most famous cultural signatures in the region. During the cultural festival at the end of each year, the village hosts a variety of activities such as traditional fashion shows and dragon and lion dances, where visitors can learn to make crafts such as painted bamboo weaving, bamboo carving masks, traditional accessories and ornaments.
According to the United Nations Tourism Organization, Penlipran Village has promoted sustainable development through waste management, natural resource conservation, green tourism, and education and guidance. "The recognition from international industry organizations will encourage us to work harder to protect the ecological environment, inherit traditional culture, and further boost rural tourism," said Boudiata, the head of the village. ”
The town of Saint-Emilion, France –
Pay attention to coordinated development and promote original ecological quality tourism
About 40 kilometers east of Bordeaux, the "wine capital" of France, lies a small town called Saint-Emilion. Vineyard-covered hilly landscape, medieval architecture...... It is considered one of the most beautiful towns in France, and the wine-growing region is the first wine-growing area in the world to be inscribed on the World Heritage List. The town attracts about 1 million visitors a year.
Stroll through the town, where the tiled roofs and stone-paved alleys retain the color of history. "For thousands of years, the townspeople have been accustomed to this pristine environment. Jean-Daniel Debatt, director of the Saint-Emilion Tourism Bureau, told reporters that this town, together with 21 small towns on more than 230 square kilometers of surrounding land, is known as "Great Saint-Emilion", and lives about 15,000 residents, of which about 1/6 are engaged in wine-related industries and about 1/6 are engaged in tourism-related industries.
The 22 villages and towns cooperate with each other to provide unique tour routes and services, and work together to create a local tourism business card. Many of the unique accommodations such as the Château Hotel and B&Bs are often located in villages not far from Saint-Emilion. In order to allow visitors to explore the wider landscape, the tourism office has specially designed a number of one-day cycling and walking routes, starting from the village of Saint-Emilion and passing through the vineyards and wineries of different villages, where visitors can learn to appreciate wine and taste special food. Debat said that thanks to this synergistic development, the tourism resources of Greater Saint-Emilion have not been overexploited, and tourists have a better experience.
The Aquitaine region, where the town of Saint-Emilion is located, is located in the southwest of France and is home to attractions such as the historic city of Bordeaux and the bay of Arcachon and the beaches of the sea. Saint-Émilion's tourism department promotes music festivals, theatre festivals, gastronomic festivals, and specialty markets in well-known tourist cities such as Bordeaux, attracting tourists from all over the world.
The local tourism bureau also invited online bloggers to experience the visit and increased promotion efforts on social media platforms to attract more young tourists. In March this year, the Saint-Emilion Tourist Office launched a new version of its official website, where visitors can enjoy online consultation, ticket reservations, event reservations, merchandise purchases and other services.
Hatta Town, UAE –
Practice the green concept and explore the beauty of nature and humanity
Located more than 130 kilometers from the city of Dubai, UAE, the small town of Hatta is located in the middle of the Hajar Mountains, surrounded by mountains and rivers and picturesque scenery.
In 2021, Dubai launched the "Hatta Master Development Plan", which aims to further explore the natural and cultural tourism resources of Hatta and build it into an important tourist destination and cultural exchange center. The town of Hatta encourages people to go green. In addition to the excellent public transport system, 11.5 km of cycle paths and 50 km of mountain bike trails have been built. Not long ago, the first half-month Hatta Festival came to an end, and themed activities such as mountain trekking, mountain biking and motorcycle riding, and honey selection attracted many tourists to "check in".
The honey industry is a specialty of the town of Hatta, which is home to the largest honey farm in the UAE. The farm has more than 4,000 bee colonies and produces more than 20 tons of honey per season. In the farm exhibition center, there is a dazzling array of special honey products such as mesquite honey, mangrove honey, and Side honey. "During the flowering season, the bees go to the surrounding area to collect honey. The plants here are grown in a relatively pure environment and produce high quality honey. Beekeeper Abdi and his colleagues invite visitors to taste a variety of honey samples. Abdi told reporters: "Knowing Hatta honey helps to further understand the rich product culture of Hatta. ”
Visitors can also experience the work of a beekeeper at the honey farm. Under the guidance of the staff, visitors put on beekeeping protective clothing and enter the beekeeping area, where they can see the bees working up close, learn about the characteristics of different bees and collect honey. The staff told reporters that by learning about the history of beekeeping in Hatta and the important role played by bees in the natural ecosystem, it will help to enhance the awareness of tourists, especially young people, on the concept of green.
(Jakarta, Paris, Dubai, April 15)
People's Daily (2024-04-16 Edition 17)