Foreign visitors taste local drinks during the Terraced Fields Plowing Festival held in Guilin, South China’s Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region. (Photo/Courtesy of He Chengxi)
Boosted by multiple favorable policies, China’s inbound tourism has seen a significant boom during this year’s May Day holidays, with foreign travelers embracing more immersive and in-depth experiences, like engaging in the Terraced Fields Plowing Festival held in Guilin, South China’s Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region.
A person in charge of the terraced fields scenic spot told the Global Times that foreign visitors are particularly drawn to this immersive experience as they are intrigued by this traditional method of farming, and found Chinese farming culture novel and meaningful.
During this year’s May Day holidays, the popularity of "China Travel" remained strong, supported by multiple favorable policies such as tax refunds and visa-free entry for overseas tourists, CCTV News reported on Wednesday.
According to data from the National Immigration Administration, a total of 10.9 million inbound and outbound trips were made by Chinese and foreign travelers during the holidays, marking a 28.7 percent year-on-year increase. Inbound tourism performed particularly well, with foreign nationals making 1.12 million trips, up 43.1 percent compared to the same period last year. Cultural experiences and diverse travel activities served as key attractions for international visitors, reported CCTV News.
The annual Longji Terraced Fields Plowing Festival was held in Longji Ancient Zhuang Village in Guilin during the May Day holidays, attracting many foreign tourists.
During the event, local villagers carried out 12 traditional farming activities on the thousand-layer terraced fields, including pair plowing, ox-plowing, digging fields, cutting field ridges, repairing field ridges and weeding, showcasing the unique farming culture of Longji Ancient Zhuang Village. The event attracted numerous domestic and foreign tourists, according to chinanews.com.
On the social media platform Xiaohongshu, also known as RedNote, some videos of foreign tourists experiencing the Plowing Festival have received widespread attention. In a video posted by a travel blogger, two international visitors operate a uniquely shaped farming tool together: one pulls from the front, while the other pushes from the back.
"This ’pair ploughing’ method is a traditional farming technique that has been in practice for over 2,000 years and is still in use today. In Longji, where large machinery or oxen are impractical for irregular terraced fields, the method of ’women pulling from the front and men pushing from the back’ has been preserved. The partners can be neighbors or couples, forming a special sight in the terraced fields," He Chengxi, a deputy manager of the media department of Guilin Longji Tourism Co., Ltd., told the Global Times.
Displaying villagers’ daily farming practice methods during the festival, rather than abandoned traditional methods repurposed as tourist activities, gave foreign tourists an authentic experience, He said.
In addition to tourists, staff from foreign media outlets also experienced pair ploughing while filming documentaries in China during the May Day holidays. In the comments section of related videos on Xiaohongshu, some netizens pointed out that one participant was BBC host Ben Fogle.
"The host was invited to try pair ploughing. At first, he just wanted to give it a go, but once he started, he became very interested and was amazed by this labor method," He said.
"Since the development of tourism here in the 1980s, many foreigners have visited. They spoke highly of the terraced landscapes and unique farming culture. A foreign photojournalist first introduced the beauty of this place to the world through their work, after which the village developed the area and established the scenic spot," He shared.
This holiday period, a Portuguese photographer named Joao Branco excitedly recorded a video recommending Longji Terraced Fields on his third day there. "I was pleasantly surprised, it’s a very peaceful and beautiful place, perfect for photography. If you have a drone, you can capture stunning views of the terraced fields," Branco said.
He said that some foreign tourists remarked that they were deeply intrigued by this traditional method and found Chinese farming culture novel and meaningful, making them eager to participate.
"Nowadays, our lives are too fast-paced, and the old ways of working seem out of place. Traditional practices are fading from our lives. But here, they can still experience them. What’s ancient and traditional has instead become trendy," He added.
Since November 2023, China’s visa-free transit policies have undergone continuous adjustment and optimization. The implementation of the country’s latest 240-hour visa-free transit policy at the end of last year has boosted inbound tourism significantly, according to Xinhua.
This has sparked a new trend that a growing number of foreign tourists are shifting from conventional sightseeing to immersive experiences, venturing into China’s rural fields to engage with traditional culture and folk customs.
From picking tender tea leaves and practicing the art of "dian cha" (tea whisking) in tea gardens to interacting with local shepherds, or feeling the adrenaline of rural basketball at a "Village CBA" game and soaking up ethnic culture in Miao villages, these immersive activities have become top choices for some international visitors.
原文地址：http://en.people.cn/n3/2025/0508/c90000-20311937.html