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Opening statement: The content of this article is written with authoritative sources combined with personal opinions, and the source and screenshot of the literature have been marked at the end of the article, please be aware.
This National Day holiday, have you traveled?
In recent years, the mainland's tourism industry has blown a "county wind": more and more young people and middle-class people no longer choose to go to some traditional popular tourist cities, but come to the long-dormant small county seats.
In their eyes, the county seat means relaxation, leisure, and "paradise on earth". But after really coming to the county for a tour, they regretted it:
This place is too far from what I imagined!
The middle class goes to a small county, and tourism is still "sinned"
With the explosion of the domestic game "Black Myth Wukong", the small county town in the game, Linfenxi County, Shanxi, has also become one of the popular tourist cities for this holiday.
Many tourists who have played this game or have not played it have come to Xi County just to see the beauty of traditional Chinese ancient architecture. The Xi County Government also moved when it heard the wind and hurriedly arranged the construction of the local "Xiaoxitian" scenic spot.
It stands to reason that this should have been a good thing to "go both ways", but I didn't expect that countless tourists who "followed the trend" to Xi County were disappointed in their trip.
Among the travelers was an office worker from Beijing, in his 30s. The reason why he came to Xi County was to take a break from the busy work and crowded crowds and let himself take a breath.
When he first got off the high-speed train, this office worker suddenly felt a kind of intimacy: the old city walls, dilapidated bricks and tiles, and the monotonous and outdated shops on the roadside in the county town all made him feel familiar to him from the county seat.
This familiarity made him feel a kind of happiness, and the conditions of the place where he lived were not bad. He slept soundly, but by the time he was officially traveling the next day, he began to regret it.
In the county seat, travel is not as convenient as in the big city. In many counties, shared bicycles and shared electric vehicles have not yet been popularized, and the way people travel is basically the traditional "bus + walking".
I finally walked to my favorite scenic spot - "Xiaoxitian" scenic spot, and the statues and ancient temples in front of me are indeed as antique and charming as advertised.
He walked as he took pictures, taking many photos along the way. Although this trip was unsatisfactory and suffered some sins, it was relatively easy and leisurely.
Another office worker who traveled to a county in the south was not so lucky.
Originally, in order to pursue the beautiful scenery, she came to this southern county, but as soon as she got off the plane, she was "taught a lesson" by the online car-hailing driver.
When the online car-hailing driver saw that she was a foreigner, he did not hesitate to "sit on the ground and start the price", and said that he "likes to sit or not". Although he was angry, considering that he was not familiar with his life, this office worker still silently suffered this "dumb loss".
I thought it was just an unpleasant episode in the trip, but I didn't expect that this was just the "beginning" of the tribulation that followed.
After a night's rest, the next day, she came to the "fairyland" in her heart. When I arrived, I found that I had been "deceived".
It turned out that the photos of the scenic spot she saw on the Internet were only "processed" by PS. In reality, all you can see is the bustling crowd, as well as various Internet celebrity food stalls and check-in points.
She was so disappointed that she thought about going to the beach, hoping that the sun and sand would soothe her wounded heart.
But by the sea, she walked to many convenience stores, and she couldn't even buy a bottle of sugar-free coconut water.
She asked the hotel staff where they could buy coconut water, but the staff had a strange look on their face, as if they didn't understand why she had such a need.
In the end, she could only end her terrible trip in a hurry, and the moment she returned to Beijing, she felt truly relaxed.
The example of these two office workers is just a microcosm of the thousands of middle-class people. In the two major holidays this year, there are not a few people who go to the county seat in pursuit of "relaxation" and leave disappointed.
County tourism, why frequently step on thunder
In fact, the so-called "county tourism" pursued by the middle class now is the same logic as the previous "City Walk style", all in order to pursue a deliberately created "sense of relaxation".
For example, in Shanghai, where the middle class population is most concentrated, this kind of "county tourism" is the most sought after. A few months ago, there were even "tourist buses" in Shanghai that went directly to rural counties.
During the "May Day" holiday, the number of people in the mainland who went to the "top ten tourist counties" increased by 36% year-on-year, and it is not difficult to see that more and more tourists choose to travel to the county.
Why is the middle class keen to go to the county to pursue a "sense of relaxation"? In the final analysis, it is because the rapid development of cities and societies can no longer tolerate their pursuit of "relaxation" in big cities.
In this fast-paced era, busyness is the norm. The middle class living in big cities not only rushes for a livelihood every day, but also faces "sky-high bills" every month, and the pursuit of "relaxation" has become a unique trend.
However, behind this county tourism boom, there are frequent disappointing "thunder" phenomena. Many middle-class people who came to the county town left disappointed, why is this?
On the one hand, the infrastructure construction of the county is relatively weak. Compared with the big cities, the county is not easy to access, public transportation lines are limited, and the road conditions are uneven.
Middle-class people who are accustomed to the convenient transportation of big cities often face many inconveniences in the process of traveling. Not only is the number of shared bicycles small, but even buses, ride-hailing, and taxis are also very few.
In terms of accommodation, it is often far from the expectations of the middle class. Although there are some characteristic B&Bs on the rise, there is a big gap between the overall service level and facilities and star-rated hotels in big cities.
Unlike some popular traditional tourist cities, tourism practitioners in county towns may lack professional training and have a relatively weak sense of service.
Many tour guides in county scenic spots generally have problems such as unprofessional explanations and unenthusiastic attitudes. Tourists cannot have an in-depth understanding of the local history, culture and customs through explanation, and the sense of experience is greatly reduced.
Many middle-class people choose the county as a tourist destination, often because they have seen photos of scenic spots with beautiful scenery and quaint architecture on social media.
In social media and tourism promotions, county towns are often portrayed as picturesque, full of idyllic scenery and simple folk customs. However, when the middle class actually arrives at their destination, they often find that the reality is far from what they imagined.
And due to the imperfection of the county's tourism management system and the lack of effective supervision and coordination mechanisms, "being slaughtered" has become a norm when traveling in the county.
Under the influence of various factors, the originally intended "relaxation journey" often turns into a "torture" that is physically and mentally exhausting.
How far can county tourism go? Is there a future for this "sinking economy"?
County tourism, how far can you go
Many middle-class people feel disappointed after traveling to the county, in fact, because they have unrealistic fantasies before going to the county.
Many people living in big cities still have the impression of the county seat in the leisurely and relaxed last century. But in fact, in today's county, the work pressure is not much smaller than that in big cities, and in many counties, "996" and "007" have become the norm.
It is undeniable that in some counties, there are indeed some scenic spots with high value that are worth visiting. But tourism has never been something that can be sustained by attractions alone.
How far the county tourism can go depends on whether the local infrastructure and related systems can keep up. Whether it can ensure the travel experience of tourists is the most important thing.
This kind of "sinking economy" is undoubtedly a good thing for many counties to increase production and generate income. But it is still unclear whether this economy will be sustainable and whether it will be able to grow in the long term.
Resources:
China.com: The middle class who traveled to the county regretted the disillusionment of the "fairyland" under the erosion of commercialization
Beijing News Network: A scenic spot where "Black Myth" was filmed was shouted "bad review" by tourists, and the local Bureau of Culture and Tourism apologized
Hunan Daily: The popularity of "Ben County" tour has risen, and "county tour" has become a new favorite of cultural tourism consumption