Hangzhou Tonglu: Paving the Way for Integrated Development of 'Agriculture, Culture, and Tourism'

The 14th Hangzhou Tonglu Mountain Flower Festival commenced on March 30. Leveraging the cumulative effects of hosting multiple editions, the 3,000 mu of peach blossoms in Yangshanfan Village, Hengcun Town, have become the popular highlight in many people's social media feeds.

The Tonglu Flower Sea

Beyond the Mountain Flower Festival in Hengcun, Tonglu will unveil a series of distinctive cultural events such as the Mountain and Water Art Season, Anime Art Festival, and Rural Music Festival, staged across Tongjun Street, Fengchuan Street, and Baijiang Town. These events aim to draw local and outside visitors to experience Tonglu's picturesque villages and successful integration of agriculture, culture, and tourism.

The surge of tourism has boosted sales of agricultural goods, with local specialties like dried sweet potatoes and rice cakes emerging as "star products" that enhance villagers' income and well-being. Additionally, tourists' needs for food and accommodation have fueled the development of farmhouses and guesthouses. This marks the germination of "agriculture, culture, and tourism" integration.

Tonglu Rural Characteristic Guesthouses and Farmhouses

To promote rural industrial development, Tonglu County has consistently introduced supportive policies. Zhu Xiaolan, director of Tonglu County Agricultural and Rural Affairs Bureau Office, reports that over the past decade, Tonglu has launched four rounds of supportive policies specifically for guesthouses. These policies progressed from nurturing pilot villages and sites to establishing industry standards and enhancing guesthouse quality and profitability, advancing the sector from inception to excellence. Currently, Tonglu is home to 1,017 tourist accommodation units, including 15 premium boutique hotels, 12 classified guesthouses, and two platinum-rated accommodations.

In addition to guesthouses, Tonglu's countryside is diversifying its tourism activities, allowing visitors to do more than just enjoy the views by actively engaging in various experiences. For example, Dashui Village in Fenshui Town leverages its extensive farmlands to host the "Guaguajiao Happy Farm" ("Croak Happy Farm"), featuring its thousand-mu farmland. Visitors can enjoy scenic viewpoints, take rides on miniature trains and aerial bicycles, and experience zip lines. This positive trend is driving the integration of rural areas, and Fenshui Town is also strategizing to interlink its villages and collaborate with relevant organizations to offer several travel itineraries catering to diverse tourist preferences. (Text/Photo by Cai Feng)

The Tonglu Flower Sea