DANBA, China, October 25, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — Jikayi Village, located in Danba County, Garze Prefecture, Sichuan Province, China, was officially named the “Best Tourist Village” by United Nations Tourism on October 17, 2025. With its embodiment of Eastern philosophical wisdom, particularly the principle of harmonious coexistence between humans and nature, alongside sound practices ecological conservation, sustainable development strategies and the dynamic preservation of a thousand-year-old cultural heritage, the village has gained international recognition, offering a convincing representation of the deep essence of oriental aesthetics.
Eco Empowerment, “Turning Green into Gold”
Jikayi Village is located in the central part of Mount Moerduo Provincial Nature Reserve and is adjacent to the “Giant Panda Habitat” World Natural Heritage Site. The village is renowned for its breathtaking natural scenery, including the spectacular sea of cloud phenomena and sunrise views, which is one of the major attractions attracting visitors from all over the world.
The local government considers ecological preservation as the cornerstone of sustainable development and is committed to making Jikayi Village an “international ecological and cultural tourism destination”. Taking advantage of its unique ecological advantages as a “natural oxygen bar”, the village has systematically developed educational tourism programs centered on the theme of “Forest+”, attracting more than 330,000 visitors from more than 20 countries from January to September 2025. During this period, overall tourism revenue reached 364 million RMB. In 2024, the per capita disposable income of local residents amounted to 34,000 RMB, which empirically confirms the principle that “green mountains and clear waters are as valuable as gold and silver mountains”.
Comprehensive business integration addresses seasonal challenges
Under the guidance of the “all fields and all industries” development strategy of Garzê Prefecture, Jikayi Village has innovatively expanded its “culture and tourism as well as various industries” network, effectively overcoming the seasonal constraints inherent in rural tourism. By establishing a framework of themed activities throughout the year – including spring flower viewing, refreshing summer retreats, autumn beauty pageants and winter sunbathing – the village has managed to extend its peak tourist period from the traditionally short months of spring and summer to an annual cycle.
The achievements are remarkable. The proportion of winter tourists has increased from less than 10% three years ago to 22% today. The occupancy rate of guest rooms in winter regularly remains above 30%. Currently, more than 90% of the village’s 92 households work in tourism-related industries. Villagers have transformed into bed and breakfast owners, live streaming influencers and photographers at their doorstep, gradually benefiting from the dividends brought by tourism development.
Cultural heritage demonstrates the renewed appeal of “oriental beauty”
Jikayi Village is one of the important cradles of Jiarong’s Tibetan and Dongnü cultures (the Dongnü culture is female-centered and characterized by veneration of the feminine) and, as such, actively preserves Tibetan tower-building craftsmanship and Tibetan folk singing traditions of western Sichuan, among other intangible cultural heritages at levels national and provincial.
Jikayi Village itself is a living museum of Jiarong architecture. Through the “intangible cultural heritage + tourism and culture” model, local intangible cultural heritage projects such as black pottery making and Jiarong embroidery have been ingeniously integrated into guesthouses and tourism experiences. The innovative immersive project “A Day in the Life of Queen Dongnü” combines role-playing games with Jiarong culture and historical legends, allowing tourists to personally experience the charm of China’s diverse cultures. Local specialties such as pepper coffee, which carry the original ecological quality and cultural elements of the plateau, have successfully penetrated national and even international markets.
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SOURCE Jikayi Village
