Ecological protection boosts visitation to scenic lake in south west China

Ecological protection efforts to enhance the environment of the scenic Fuxian Lake in south west China's Yunnan Province have helped drive a rise in visitor numbers.

Located in Chengjiang, a county-level city in Yunnan Province, the lake has a 100.8-kilometre shoreline, and is known for its lucid water as well as its fame as China's second-deepest freshwater lake. 

Thanks to the effective ecological protection and lakeside scenery, which has included afforestation of 10,066 hectares and pollution abatement, Chengjiang county has received a total of 12.55 million tourists in 2020 with a total tourism revenue of about 10.61 billion yuan (US$150 million).

The excellent ecological environment in Chengjiang injects impetus into the booming tourism industry. Chengjiang government will give priority to promoting ecological cultural projects and tourism infrastructure, pledging to develop a comprehensive tourism destination offering resort facilities such as sightseeing and sanatorium.

Chengjiang witnessed robust tourism demand during the five-day May Day holiday this year, and it received 630,400 tourists, surging 80.7% year on year, with soaring tourism revenue of 62.39 percent to 379.09 million yuan.

The local government is expected to continue to strengthen the development of local cultural and tourism industry during the 2021-2025 period, and enhance functional development of Fuxian Lake as China's national-level tourism and resort zone.

Image: Fuxian Lake, in Yuxi, southwest China's Yunnan Province. Credit: Jin Yunlong.