An Integrated Rural Development Mode Based on a Tourism-Oriented Approach: Exploring the Beautiful Village Project in China

Abstract

To solve the decline of rural development, an effective development mode is indispensable. Rural tourism is a key approach in poverty alleviation and rural revitalization in China. The comparative analysis of the 50 most beautiful villages as awarded by the Ministry of Agriculture of China shows that the rural tourism development mode with the integration of production, village and scenery realizes the sustainable development of rural areas. To examine this further, this study takes Qinggangshu Village as a case study and constructs a systematic rural tourism-based sustainable development model called Aims, Measures, Demands (AMD). The results show that Qinggangshu Village has changed from a single farming village to a mature tourism village due to the Beautiful Village Project’s support. In this process, the production, village and scenery have made great change by promoting rural tourism development. Land consolidation and land asset activation is at the core of rural transformation and development, which can drive the reorganization and flow of labor and capital and can also make rebuilt villages more comfortable living spaces. Furthermore, a good landscape environment can stimulate development and competition. This study could be used as an example of attaining sustainable development for other rural areas.