DANBA, China, Oct. 25, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — Jikayi Village, located in Danba County, Garzê Prefecture, Sichuan Province, China, was officially designated as a “Best Tourism Village” by United Nations Tourism on October 17, 2025. Through its embodiment of Eastern philosophical wisdom—particularly the principle of harmonious coexistence between humans and nature—alongside robust ecological conservation practices, sustainable development strategies, and the dynamic preservation of a millennium-old cultural heritage, the village has achieved international recognition, offering a compelling representation of the profound essence of Eastern aesthetics.
Jikayi Village, Danba County, Garzê Prefecture, now known as the “World’s Best Tourist Village” on the Qinghai-Xizang Plateau
Ecological empowerment, “Turning green into gold”
Jikayi Village is situated in the central part of the Moerduo Mountain Provincial Nature Reserve and lies adjacent to the World Natural Heritage Site “Habitat of the Giant Panda.” The village is renowned for its breathtaking natural landscapes, including spectacular sea-of-clouds phenomena and sunrise views, which serve as some of the main attractions drawing visitors from around the globe.
The local government regards ecological preservation as the cornerstone of sustainable development, and is committed to establishing Jikayi Village as an “international ecological and cultural tourism destination.” Leveraging its unique ecological advantages as a “natural oxygen bar,” the village has systematically developed educational tourism programs centering around a “Forest+” theme, attracting over 330,000 visitors from more than 20 countries from January to September 2025. During this period, comprehensive tourism revenue reached 364 million RMB. In 2024, the per capita disposable income of local residents amounted to 34,000 RMB, providing empirical support for the principle that “green mountains and clear waters are as valuable as mountains of gold and silver.”
Comprehensive business integration addresses the seasonal challenges
Under the guidance of Garzê Prefecture’s “all-domains and all-industries” development strategy, Jikayi Village has innovatively expanded its “culture and tourism plus diverse industries” network, effectively overcoming the seasonal constraints inherent to rural tourism. By establishing a year-round thematic activity framework—featuring spring flower viewing, summer cooling retreats, autumn beauty pageants, and winter sunbathing—the village has successfully extended its peak tourism period from the traditionally short spring and summer months to a full-year cycle.
The achievements are remarkable. The proportion of winter tourists has risen from less than 10% three years ago to 22% today. The occupancy rate of Bed & Breakfasts in winter has consistently stayed above 30%. Currently, over 90% of the 92 households in the village are engaged in tourism-related industries. Villagers have transformed into Bed & Breakfast owners, live-streaming influencers, and photographers right on their own doorsteps, steadily enjoying the dividends brought by the development of tourism.
Cultural heritage demonstrates the renewed appeal of “Oriental beauty”
Jikayi Village is one of the important cradles of the Jiarong Tibetan and Dongnü cultures (Dongnü culture centers on women and is characterized by the veneration of the feminine), and as such actively preserves the Tibetan tower-building craftsmanship and the Tibetan folk singing traditions of western Sichuan, among other national and provincial-level intangible cultural heritages.
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 Bed & Breakfast and tourist experiences. The innovative immersive project “A Day in the Life of the Dongnü Queen” combines role-playing games with Jiarong culture and historical legends, allowing tourists to personally experience the charm of China’s diverse cultures. Local specialty products such as pepper coffee, which carry the original ecological quality and cultural elements of the plateau, have successfully entered the domestic and even international markets.
