Rise of rural eco-tourism in Chongqing

During the sweltering summer, Ye Wensheng and his friends drove about two hours out of urban Chongqing to Baisheng village in Tiekuang town to escape the heat.

At least 10 C cooler than downtown Chongqing, the mountainous village has become a popular summer vacation place for city dwellers as a result of its recent development of eco-tourism.

But five years ago, Tiekuang was the poorest town in its home county Wulong, classified as a State-level poverty-stricken area due to the lack of information and transportation. Most of its young people have left to work in the cities.