China is a world leader in rural tourism, says UNWTO senior official

22-07-23

China is now a world leader in the field of rural tourism, and the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) is looking forward to the full recovery of China's inbound and outbound tourism market, said a UNWTO official.

Sandra Calvao, chief of market intelligence and competitiveness at the UNWTO, said in a recent interview with Xinhua that in recent years, more people are choosing to go to the countryside to embrace nature, taste natural food and enjoy a peaceful holiday with their families, while COVID-19 has accelerated this trend.

"Tourism has a long history of contributing to rural development, and the COVID-19 pandemic has opened up new opportunities for the development of rural tourism," she said.

In Calvao's view, people are more willing to head to outdoor spaces for their holidays as they had been stuck at home for so long due to the pandemic.