Ranwu Town in Chamdo, Tibet, is attracting tourists, turning them from "passing by and taking photos" into "making a special trip to visit."
"Scenery is the prerequisite, facilities are the foundation, but the transformation of people is the key" (Striving for the 15th Five-Year Plan: First-hand Observations)
We must firmly establish and practice the concept that "lucid waters and lush mountains are invaluable assets."
—Excerpt from the "15th Five-Year Plan" proposal
Staying at Xiangba Dorje's guesthouse, the view from the window is breathtaking. Ranwu Town, Baxu County, Changdu City, Tibet Autonomous Region, boasts snow-capped mountains, dense forests, glaciers winding down from the mountaintops, and the azure, shimmering surface of Ranwu Lake.
“Look how beautiful it is!” Pointing to the scenery in the distance, Baduojie spoke with great pride.
“In previous years, most of the tourists who came to Ranwu Town were just passing through. They would take photos and then move on to the next destination. They didn’t eat or stay here, so they didn’t bring in much spending,” recalled Suolangduodan, secretary of the Ranwu Town Party Committee.
How can we keep tourists coming back?
Starting in 2022, Ranwu Town launched an infrastructure upgrade and renovation project: the roads became wider and smoother, the facilities such as the visitor trails were gradually improved, and more scientific, convenient, and scenic routes were set up.
With increasingly convenient transportation, the scenic areas of Ranwu Lake (upper, middle and lower lakes), Gangrigabu Snow Mountain, Ranwu Cave, Laigu Glacier, and Ranna Grassland are being developed together, allowing tourists to enjoy the magnificent scenery of snow-capped mountains, forests and lakes "in the same frame".
"The scenery is the premise, the facilities are the foundation, and the change in people is the fundamental one," said Solang Dorjee. "As the cultural tourism industry grows, people's lives have improved significantly. More importantly, their attitudes toward the environment have also changed."
Previously, residents of Ranwu Town considered how to cultivate and graze the mountains and wetlands surrounding the town. Now, they have organized themselves into ecological protection teams, including forest rangers and water management personnel, to consciously protect the environment. Forest rangers patrol the mountains and lakes two to three times a week. Since 2024, Ranwu Town has conducted over 400 environmental sanitation cleanups, involving more than 2,200 people and removing over 40 tons of garbage, effectively improving the environment.
The beautiful scenery right at their doorstep brings opportunities and wealth. "In recent years, our town has become an important stop for tourists, and many people come specifically to visit Ranwu Lake," said Suolangduodan. He added that Ranwu Town receives more than 150,000 tourists annually, generating nearly 60 million yuan in tourism revenue.
With the increase in tourist traffic, the local government seized the opportunity to attract investment, and a number of high-end hotels were established in Ranwu. Xiangba Dorje's son, Dunzhu Pingcuo, works at one of the hotels in town.
He discussed with Baduojie and his son: "You have learned about hotel management in town. Come back and let's open a guesthouse and run it ourselves."
“The town has received some aid funds for Tibet to support cultural and tourism practitioners to participate in training in other places. I will try to get you a spot,” a village official encouraged Xiangba Dorje.
Soon after, Xiangba Dorje and several fellow villagers went to Sichuan and other places to learn how to run a homestay. "My son learns from big hotels, and I learn from guesthouses in other places. If we combine our experiences, we're sure to make money running a homestay," Xiangba Dorje said confidently after participating in the training.
With beautiful scenery, providing excellent service is crucial. What kind of accommodations do guests prefer? Where are the best spots for taking photos? What poses and angles yield the best pictures? Dunzhu Pingcuo has become an "expert" in answering these questions, always able to meet guests' individual needs immediately. In just over a year since opening, the guesthouse has already generated over 310,000 yuan in revenue.
"Tourists from all over the world are drawn here. The beautiful scenery of our hometown has become our 'treasure trove'!" Xiangbaduojie said. "We have seen the grasslands and snow-capped mountains for generations. Now, the green mountains and clear waters have brought us wealth."
"During the '15th Five-Year Plan' period, we will focus on tourism to drive the coordinated development of transportation, service industries, planting and breeding industries," said Sonam Dorjee.
(People's Daily reporter Xu Yuyao)
This issue's coordinator: Han Wenrong
