HAIKOU, Nov. 23 (Xinhua) -- Basking under the golden sun on pristine beaches, tourists eagerly indulge in the simple joy of catching crabs along the expansive coastline.

This idyllic scene is becoming increasingly common in Dongying Township, nestled in Lin'gao County of south China's Hainan Province. Here, visitors flock to immerse themselves in an authentic and unique fisherman's life, a rare experience blending leisure with a local tradition.

Recently, Dongying was honored as a "Cittaslow," meaning slow town or city in Italian, at the Cittaslow International Coordination Committee meeting held in Seferihisar, Türkiye. This makes Dongying the 14th town overall and the first coastal town in China to obtain this honor.

International Slow Town status, also known as "Cittaslow," is based on a novel urban development plan that was put forth in Bula, Italy. This model emphasizes the need to find a way to construct modern communities that integrate traditional lifestyles with modern technology. There were 295 Cittaslow cities or towns spread across 33 countries and regions as of October 2023.

"The connotation of Cittaslow coincides with China's new development concept and rural vitalization," said Tang Shoubing, head of Lin'gao County.

Thanks to the area's geographical advantages and natural resources, the Lin'gao government has promoted green industries such as seaside homestays, and sports and culture featuring a slow lifestyle.

Dongying has a coastline of about 15 km, and its coast often exposes a wide sea area at low tide, which is very suitable for collecting conches, crabs, shells, and so on.

Chen Xiaojie, a villager from Bozong Village of Dongying, returned to his hometown in 2017 to set up a coastal inn, and business proved surprisingly good.

Subsequently, more than 10 seaside homestays and over 10 new restaurants were built around Bozong Village, which led to the employment of more than 100 people.

Capitalizing on its coastal resources, Dongying has pooled 106 million yuan (14.9 million U.S. dollars) of funds to initiate the Dongying coastal Cittaslow project. Additionally, it has invested 234 million yuan in enhancing local tourism, focusing on developing coastal inns, bookstores, and various attractions to enrich the visitor experience.

Seeing the rapid development of their hometown, more young people are returning to the village to start businesses.

Chen Wanbo, a villager from Hexin Village, founded a farmstay and a professional agricultural cooperative, where people can have an authentic farm experience while learning about agriculture and the fishing culture.

"In the activity-loaded trip, visitors experience a rich local flavor and cultural sentiment," said Chen.

Dongying Township has received over 80,000 visitors for various activities so far this year. Moreover, homestay bookings for the 2024 Spring Festival are already significant.

"We expect the close connection between Dongying Town, a coastal fishing town, and the Cittaslow concept to make Dongying a model for Hainan's construction of rural vitalization so that more local people can benefit from it," Tang said. Enditem

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