We are amid a great era for tourism, which for many people, has become an important part of their daily life. Besides rendering enjoyment to tourists, the tourism is helping more people cast off poverty with a greater scale and unprecedented sense of responsibility.
The Report is themed “poverty reduction through tourism”, which demonstrates the concern for poverty reduction practices through tourism and echoes the overarching goal of the UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, that is, to eradicate poverty in all its forms and dimensions. The Report will highlight the latest progress and development trends in poverty reduction through tourism and furnish with some cases and practices, especially the experience and concepts from China.
I. New era: Bright future shared by tourism development and mankind
Tourism is an important symbol of the development of an era. When numerous tourists travel between countries and regions, people cam more keenly aware that the world is a global village. Recent years saw a continuing fast growth in the overall development of world tourism, creating a good premise for poverty reduction through tourism.
1. New achievements yielded in world tourism development
Both the world tourist arrivals and revenues continued to grow. According to the 2017 World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) data, the world tourist arrivals grew by 7% to reach 1.2 billion and revenues grew by 5% to reach USD1.33 trillion, keeping positive growth for eight consecutive years. According to the Report on World Tourism Economy Trends (2018) co-released by the World Tourism Cities Federation (WTCF) and the Tourism Research Center, Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, the global tourist arrivals in 2017 totaled about 11.9 billion, and the revenue exceeded USD5 trillion, up 6.8% and 4.3% compared with the last year, respectively, continuing to be higher than the GDP growth rate.
The comprehensive contribution of tourism to economic and social development is increasingly evident. Based on the 2018 Report on Global Economic Impact of Travel and Tourism released by the World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC), in 2017, the tourism value-added was 10.4% of global GDP, with 313 million jobs provided, 9.9% of total employment.
The tourism quality has steadily escalated. Thanks to the joint efforts of government departments, enterprises, non-governmental organizations and all sectors of society, both tourism products and services worldwide has experienced a steady increase in quality, and tourists’ sense of quality acquisition has also been remarkably enhanced. According to a survey conducted by the China Tourism Academy (CTA), Chinese people continued to maintain “basically satisfactory” to outbound tourism. In 2017, the top five satisfactory destinations were Singapore, New Zealand, the United States, Germany, and Canada.
Tourism further promotes cultural exchanges and inclusion. Friendship between the peoples holds the key to sound state-to-state relations, and heart-to-heart communication contributes to deeper friendship. Tourism has powerfully boosted people’s cultural knowledge as well as mutual understanding and tolerance in various countries and regions through field experience as a crucial path to people-to-people contacts. Frequent contacts between people, especially between young people in a face-to-face way, have solidified the public opinion base for establishing more harmonious national relations.
Tourism has contributed significantly to poverty reduction. Tourism development is playing an increasing important role in poverty reduction worldwide with its extensive drive to economic growth in poor areas and to employment and income increase for poor people. Many developing countries leverage the tourism development as an important means to reduce poverty. The Maldivian tourism industry, for example, has long directly contributed to GDP of over 30% and indirectly contributed at a remarkable 60%-70%.[Li Yan, Huang Zhengduo, Development of Tourism in the Maldives and Its Causes, South Asian Studies Quarterly, Vol.4, 2009.]
2. New characteristics presented in world tourism development
Spatially, emerging countries perform well. The fast growth in outbound consumption of emerging countries has facilitated the diversification of the global tourism market. According to an UNWTO report, China was still the biggest spender on travel abroad in 2017; the overseas tourism in BRICS countries including Brazil, Russia and India also grew fast, where the Brazilian holiday makers spent 20% more in 2017 than in 2016. In terms of tourism reception, although Europe, North America and the Asia-Pacific region still dominated, the Asia-Pacific region steadily scaled up, while Africa also grew fast.
Temporally, traditional off-seasons have new highlights. Though most tourist destinations receive more tourists from April to October each year, the changed tourism demand and better tourism supply (e.g. adjustments in holiday system, improvement of transport means and innovative tourism products) are making tourism activities more temporally balanced. Many holiday makers choose Europe in autumn and winter to avoid crowding and get a better cultural experience. According to the CTA data, during 2016-2017, China contributed about RMB270 billion to ice-and-snow tourism, with tourist arrivals totaling 170 million. In provinces such as Jilin and Heilongjiang, the ice-and-snow tourism has been on a par with the summer tourism.
Tourists pay more attention to in-depth experience. Tourism has become a common daily option in many countries and regions. Tourists can access more chances and richer experience of tourism, so compared with just paying a visit, they are more eager to enjoy the culture and share the life in destinations.
Local communities and residents
have been stepping to develop their awareness of rights. Tourism has now shifted from a closed world dominated by scenic spots, hotels and travel agencies to an open system in harmony and close interaction with the economic and social development. The participation of local communities and residents is inseparable in developing tourism resources, constructing projects, marketing, or formulating and executing medium and long-term development strategies.
3. New experience formed in world tourism development
We need more extensive international cooperation. International cooperation on tourism has expanded from the government level to various levels such as non-governmental organizations, enterprises and research institutions. There are significantly more international conferences and forums on tourism, especially those themed intergovernmental meetings and international academic seminars on tourism after China put forward “the Belt and Road” initiative.
We need better infrastructure. Recent years have seen developing countries including China and India pouring great finance, labor and materials into constructing the infrastructure such as airports, highways, railways and telecommunications, so that the world can be more conveniently linked and tourisms can move more freely.
We need more scientific ideas of development. People have deeper thoughts about the impact of tourism as well as the status and role of the tourism industry. Countries are more concern about the sustainable development of tourism. Concepts such as sustainable tourism, responsible tourism, and tourism development planning first have been widely disseminated and recognized. China raised “tourism+” and “all-for-one tourism” to link tourism development more closely with the eco-social development, so as to push forward the co-prosperity of tourism and economic society by stimulating the host-guest sharing.
We need innovative market subjects to drive the tourism development. The active innovations in tourism products, formats and commercial models led by large multinationals and involved by specialized SMEs and micro-enterprises in recent years have added vitality to tourism development. In this period, the application of new technologies represented by mobile Internet and big data has played an important supporting role.
We need community residents to be extensively engaged. Community residents have made unprecedented contributions in sharing their living environments and lifestyles by actively participating in the decision-making, service and management process of tourism development.
4. New situations faced by the world tourism development
The continued recovering global economy further solidifies the basis for sustainable tourism development. The overall global economy is on the path to recovery. Several institutions predict that in this year and next, the economy will grow over 3%, while the figure in economy emerging markets and developing economies may be 4-5%. China, the world’s second-largest economy, is expected to grow over 6.5% and continue to be an important driver of global economic growth.
Tourism rights and awareness are further awakened. Concepts such as “tourism is the basic right of mankind” and “the ultimate aim of tourism is to improve the quality of life and create better living conditions for all peoples” have been widely recognized and are becoming the consensus and action guide to develop tourism across the world.
Tourism is more valued by governments of countries. More countries, especially developing ones, have elevated tourism as a national strategy and also an important platform to engage in international competition, eradicate poverty and improve the people’s livelihood. Almost all central governments have set up centralized and unified tourism management departments or multi-sector tourism policy coordination committees. For greater international tourism competitiveness, targeted funds have been increased to improve public service facilities and develop quality tourism products.
The driving force for tourism development becomes stronger. The rapid development of science and technology, especially the development of big data, AI, intelligent transportation, etc., coupled with cultural and creative elements, have brought infinite possibilities for tourism innovation and more channels for poverty reduction through tourism.
Uncertainties and risks exist. We live in a time of great progress, huge change and major adjustment. Peace and development remain the prevailing trend. There are also many uncertainties and even risks such as trade disputes and terrorism, which may bring some difficulties and challenges to tourism development. In developing countries, insufficient human resources and immature market players remain to be considered.
II. New role: Tourism steps from the edge of poverty reduction to the center
As the tourism industry scales up and its integration with eco-social development deepens, the contribution of tourism to the global poverty reduction career has received more and more attention. Tourism has become the main force for people in many developing countries and regions to get rid of poverty.
1. Poverty reduction has always been a key theme related to global development
Poverty eradication is and always has been a goal and a basic right of all peoples in their pursuit of a happy life. Poverty eradication has been an important task of most developing countries since the end of the Second World War.
In December 1992, the 47th session of the UN General Assembly designated October 17 to be the “International Day for the Eradication of Poverty” aimed to evoke the world attention and assistance to the rich-poor disparity caused by sanctions, and all forms of discrimination and wealth concentration. At the World Summit for Social Development in 1995, 1996 was declared to be the International Year while 1997-2006 was proclaimed to the first International Decade for the Eradication of Poverty. In 1999, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank (WB) developed a poverty reduction strategy, aiming to expand the participation of the poor and deepen coordination among development partners, so that the international community’s fiscal and visa facilitation policies can be combined to alleviate poverty. In 2000, the United Nations Millennium Declaration was proposed as a goal of human development, including halving extreme poverty worldwide by 2015. At the 193-member United Nations Sustainable Development Summit in September 2015, the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development was passed, with the primary goal of “ending poverty in all its forms”.
2. Poverty reduction indices are improving and its connotations are expanding
In 1990, the World Bank identified those below USD370 per year per person as absolute poverty and those who do not meet the minimum living standard set by the state as relative poverty. Then the poverty line was updated to below USD1.25 per person per day in 2008 and to USD1.9 in 2015. In November 2011, China raised its poverty alleviation standard by 80% to a rural per capita net income of RMB2,300/year, which has been lifted to RMB3,000/year upon dynamic adjustments of the price index, living index, etc.
The scope has expanded from economic poverty to multi-faceted poverty. In the 1997 Human Development Report, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) defines the “human poverty”: people’s choices are limited when basic conditions in life, health, housing, knowledge, participation, safety and the environment cannot be met. We refer the poverty not only to economic backwardness, but to the ability and opportunity to involve the poor in economic, social and political aspects.
3. Global understanding of poverty reduction through tourism is deepening
In the 1950s and 1960s, as European and American developed countries entered into the era of mass tourism, the impact of tourism development on the economic and social development of destinations began to emerge. Through tourism development, some poor areas increased income, expanded employment and improved infrastructure. But at this stage, poverty reduction through tourism was more an accidental and additional behavior. Tourism benefits to poverty-stricken areas, especially the poor people, was not paid real attention and tourism development seldom benefited the underprivileged population.
In the 1970s and 1980s, the role of tourism in promoting employment and stimulating the economy was further recognized. Some advantages of tourism in poverty reduction, e.g. wide employment opportunities and multiple employment levels were also raised. The study, however, found that there are adverse aspects in tourism development, such as ecological environment damage, economic leakage, social inequality, heavy dependence on foreign capital and enterprises, and even “tourism enclaves”. These phenomena have triggered the wide attention from the international community. In 1992, the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development was held in Rio de Janeiro, at which the impact of tourism on regional overall economy and immediate interests of social residents were considered and tourism development goals began to include ecology and social sustainability. In 1999, the Department for International Development (DFID) initiated PPT (PRO-POOR TOURISM), marking a clear shift of international poverty reduction efforts through tourism to a more micro level: how does the poor achieve their development through tourism development? In 2002, the UNWTO proposed the ST-EP (SUSTAINABLE TOURISM-ELIMINATING POVERTY) program, which further emphasizes the sustainable tourism and proposes to apply it as a tool for poverty reduction by boosting local economy not economic aid, project demonstration, investment attraction, but also through capacity building and training and changing the impact of tourism on social culture.
Under the guidance of the concept of sustainable development, a general consensus has fostered on the promoting role of tourism in poverty reduction. The ST-EP operating mechanisms include the employment of the poor in tourism enterprises; the supply of goods and services to tourism enterprises by the poor or by enterprises employing the poor; the direct sales of goods and services to visitors by the poor; the establishment and running of tourism enterprises; the taxes imposed on community-based tourism income or profits; the voluntary giving and support by tourists or tourism enterprises; and the investment in infrastructure stimulated by tourism also benefiting the poor in the locality. In October 2015, Li Jinzao, Chairman of China National Tourism Administration (CNTA), wrote that poverty reduction through tourism has the advantages of marketization, new blood pumping, broad benefits, the involvement of both material and spiritual aspects, and in favor of mutual respect, harmony, international exchanges, etc.[ Li Jinzao, Implementing the Poverty Through Tourism to Contribute to Building a Moderately Prosperous SocietyinAllAspects,http://www.xinhuanet.com/travel/2015-11/06/c_128400951.htm] In September 2017, the World Tourism Alliance (WTA) initiated by China was officially established as the first global, comprehensive, non-governmental, non-profit international tourism organization. Following the vision of “Better Tourism, Better Life, Better World,” the WTA takes “poverty reduction through tourism” as one of its three goals.
4. Tourism in the new era should and can be a key player in the worldwide poverty reduction
Over the past two decades, the tourism industry in the world has grown faster than the global economy, especially in developing countries represented by China, creating better preconditions for poverty reduction through tourism. With the concept of sustainable tourism development securing more consensus and wide dissemination, people are paying more attention to the coordination between tourism development and ecological environment. Tourism education and training are also applied to improve the overall quality of the poor, enhance the effect of poverty reduction through tourism, and boost the shift of static poverty reduction to dynamic and even intergenerational poverty reduction. The deep integration of tourism with three industries, new rural construction, new urbanization, etc., and the development of new formats like leisure agriculture, health tourism, old-age tourism, study tourism, sports tourism, cultural and creative tourism, tourism finance, and tourism equipment manufacturing have enriched the channels and innovated the paths of poverty reduction through tourism. As the poverty alleviation means change, the resident income accumulates, the titles of lands and houses clarify, people in poor areas have formed multiple income channels composed of wage income and property income like interests, dividends, rent, etc., instead of relying solely on selling labor, in which way the poverty reduction through tourism has been more guaranteed.
5. Poverty reduction through tourism has special and important significance in China
China is at the decisive stage in finishing building a moderately prosperous society in all respects and targeted poverty alleviation is one of the three battles proposed at the 19th National Congress of the CPC. Tourism is a strategic pillar industry of China’s national economy and contributes much to poverty reduction, so it should bear its due responsibility in domestic poverty alleviation. CNTA and the State Council Leading Group Office of Poverty Alleviation and Development have consulted the poverty reduction tourism for several times. As a result, in January 2018, the Action Plan for Supporting Poverty Reduction Through Tourism in Extreme Poverty Areas was jointly issued. In March 2018, the General Office of the State Council promulgated the Guiding Opinions on Promoting the Development of All-for-One Tourism, proposing to “strengthen the poverty reduction projects in rural areas through tourism” and “making the poverty reduction through tourism more targeted to truly benefit the poor areas and the poor people”.
III. New achievements: Tourism shifts its supporting role to a key driving force in the economic and social development system in poor areas
Thanks to the rapid development of global tourism, tourist arrivals and revenue are rising; as a consequence, the tourism development is contributing more to the world’s economic growth and social development. By getting deep and wide involved in poverty reduction through tourism, accordingly, more residents in poverty-stricken areas have access to adequate and quality employment opportunities and increase in wage and asset earnings, so that they can lift their life standard and overall quality and share the fruits of tourism development.
1. Tourism has become a major source of employment and income in developing countries
Currently, international tourists in emerging markets and developing countries account for half of the global tourism market, and tourism has brought economic growth opportunities to these countries. According to an UNWTO report, developing tourism is the most viable and sustainable option to develop the economy for many developing countries and least developed countries. Tourism is also the main source of foreign exchange earnings for some countries. Out of 48 least developed countries in the world, tourism is the first or second source of export earnings in 20 countries. In some developing countries, especially small island nations, the tourism industry can account for more than 25% of GDP. It was reported in 2015 that, in South Africa, the tourism had contributed over 9% to its GDP and created more than 1.5 million jobs; while in the whole Africa, the two figures were 8.1% and 20.5 million; the contribution of tourism to economy was higher in some countries such as Mauritius and Seychelles[Yu Yichun et al., Outstanding Results in Tourism of Emerging Economics, http://finance.people.com.cn/n/2015/0526/c1004-27055617.html]. In Sapa, Vietnam, the contribution of agroforestry and fishing to local economy fell from 44.68% in 2000 to 29.83% in 2010, contrast that with tourism and services rose from 48.86% to 58.68%. A substantial change also occurred to Sapa’s household poverty rate, which decreased from 48.7% in 2005 to 26.91% in 2009[ V. Dao Truong, C. Michael Hall & Tony Garry (2014). Tourism and poverty alleviation: perceptions and experiences of poor people in Sapa, Vietnam, Journal of Sustainable Tourism, 22: 7, 1071-1089.]. According to another study, in the beginning of this century, with climbers paying on average USD1370 each, Tanzania’s trekking tourism provides 400 jobs for guides, 500 for cooks and 10,000 for porters per year[ Wineaster Anderson (2015). Cultural tourism and poverty alleviation in rural Kilimanjaro, Tanzania, Journal of Tourism and Cultural Change, 13: 3, 208-224.].
Recent years have seen great achievements made in poverty reduction through tourism in China. China lifted 68.53 million people out of poverty from 98.99 million at the end of 2012 to 30.46 million at the end of 2017. The poverty rate also dropped from 10.2%% to 3.1% in the same period, down 7.1%. According to the 2017 report issued by the State Council Leading Group Office of Poverty Alleviation and Development and the CNTA, since 2011, China has driven over 10 million poor people to get rid of poverty through rural tourism, accounting for more than 10% of the poor. Based on the data of the Ministry of Agriculture, in 2017, China’s leisure agriculture and rural tourism received more than 2.8 billion tourists, registering revenue exceeding RMB740 billion and 9 million employees, with 7 million farmers benefited.
2. Tourism development has made irreplaceable contributions to poverty alleviation in some poverty-stricken areas and poor people
Poverty is often caused by traffic congestion, barren land, information blocking, and cultural conservatism. Many poor areas are minority and border areas, where limits the development of traditional industry and agriculture, but renders advantages to that of tourism. Traffic congestion and barren land lead to beautiful landscapes and good natural ecology. Information blocking and cultural conservatism could retain many traditional lifestyles and diverse ethnic folk cultures. They are very attractive to modern tourists. Tourism is a service industry that demands fewer professional skills. For individuals, rich and multi-level jobs can be rendered, especially, tourism performs well in promoting women and less educated people to be employed and locals to be hired in the locality. Developing tourism has provided many poor areas and poor people with a new way to shake off poverty.
Australia is an economically developed country, but there is still a big economic development gap between the central and western region and the southeastern coastal region. Economically underdeveloped areas are mainly inhabited by aboriginal people, whose traditional culture and unique natural living environment are very attractive to tourists. On this basis, the Australian government chose to use tourism as a breakthrough to improve the level of economic development in aboriginal areas, and launched an Aboriginal Tourism Development Plan in 1997. Consequently, the economic development in aboriginal areas increased significantly, with an employment rate rising by 5% in two years and the living standard escalating greatly[ Zhang Chuandu, Australia: 4.5 Million Tourists Brings AUD 1.6 Billion, Guangming Daily, Edition Z03 on March 17, 2000.]. Doi Tung in Thailand is not a border area (on the border of Thailand, Laos and Myanmar), but also a minority area (various tribes including Akha, Dai and Igo) featuring and traffic obstruction. People here had been less likely to survive for a long time. Doi Tung was also one of the most rampant areas in the Golden Triangle. In the 1980s, with the support of the Empress Foundation of Thailand and the international community, Doi Tung began to develop tourism, whose attractive fresh air, beautiful sceneries and diverse culture have quickly created it into a tourist resort. In 1993, the Doi Tung project won the Gold Award of the Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) for its achievements in poverty reduction through tourism[ Source of Doi Tung Case (the same below, no more description will be provided): Zhu Jinsheng, Mu Lili, Comparative Study of Rural Tourism in China and Thailand: Taking Dragon Ridge Terrace in China and Doi Tung in Thailand as Two Cases, Guihai Tribune, Vol. 3, 2013; Yu Yichun, Revitalization in Northern Border Areas of Thailand, http://www.xinhuanet.com/world/2015-12/21/c_128550753.htm].
Ethnic minorities in China account for around 8.5% of the total population. Most of them live in central and western regions and border areas. The poor in these areas take up about 1/3 of the total poor nationwide. As the poverty reduction through tourism develops, many poverty-stricken areas have been quickly lifted out of poverty these years. Linzhi in Tibet has been vigorously developing the all-for-one tourism in recent years, and by engaging in local hostels, food, passenger transport, etc., a large number of farmers and herdsmen have made their fortunes. From January to April in 2018, Linzhi received 2.138 million tourists at home and abroad and realized tourism income of RMB1.52 billion, up 93.1% and 110.4% respectively compared with the same period in 2012. There were 1358 households of farmers and herdsmen with 8,207 person-times participating in tourism services in the city, achieving the revenue of RMB61.22 million[ Liu Hongming, Targeted Poverty Reduction Through Ecological Tourism in Linzhi of Tibet, http://xz.xinhuanet.com/xhsjzzzq/2018-05/23/c_137200643.htm]. Thanks to the arrangement by the local government, Raxman Maimaiti, a poverty-stricken person with a disabled leg from the forest farm of Zepu County in Xinjiang, could earn RMB20,000 to 30,000 during the tourist season by driving the donkey cart in the Jinhuyang Scenic Spot[Zhu Kaili, Tourism and Poverty Reduction in Xinjiang Combined for a Bright Prospect, http://www.xinjiangnet.com.cn/2018/0303/2052457.shtml]. In order to encourage minority women to start a business, in 2013, the Guizhou Government issued the Opinions on Implementing the Plan for Women’s Featured Handicraft Industry. As of 2016, there were 10,100 registered poor women in Guizhou throwing off poverty through handicraft, with an annual per capita income increased by more than RMB10,000[ Lin Jinzao as the editor-in-chief, Contemporary Tourism, Beijing: Commercial Press and China Travel & Tourism Press, February 2018, P82, Vol. 2.].
Boosting development of old revolutionary base areas combining with red tourism is a prominent feature in China’s poverty reduction through tourism. Many old revolutionary base areas tremendously contributed to China’s revolution. Unfortunately, due to geographical location, natural conditions, etc., later their economic development has fallen behind. A number of them have gained rapid development by developing tourism with rich red cultural resources. In February 2017, upon evaluation of the State Council Leading Group Office of Poverty Alleviation and Development and approval of Jiangxi Government, Jinggangshan was officially declared to take the lead in poverty alleviation. The old revolutionary base areas including Guang’an District in Guang’an City of Sichuan, Ji’an County of Jiangxi, and Chishui City of Guizhou were subsequently among the ranks of poverty alleviation as well.
3. Tourism has fostered a strong driving role in developing related industries in poverty-stricken areas
Tourism is an integrated industry with high industrial relevance. It can be widely associated with the primary, secondary and tertiary sectors, and plays a significant role in fostering industry chains and boosting the regional economy. Tourism has become an essential engine for economic development in many poor areas because it energetically impels many other industries apart from bringing considerable income.
Tourism development of Doi Tung in Thailand has contributed much to the transformation and upgrading of traditional handicrafts and planting. In terms of handicrafts, Doi Tung has successfully created its brand and marketed its traditional pottery, mulberry bark and hand-knitted products globally by introducing high-end design concepts and engaging internationally renowned designers in product development. In terms of agricultural production, Doi Tung has vigorously planted high-quality coffee, orchids, etc., and carried out high-end processing; as a result, Doi Tung Coffee has won a good reputation, with specialized sales counters in Bangkok, capital of Thailand, and abroad. When developing these industries, especially in the early days, the tourism market has not directly driven the sales and spread of products but also guided the product development after exchanges with tourists and operators.
Danzhai County, located in the Qiandongnan Miao and Dong Autonomous Prefecture of Guizhou, is the key county for poverty reduction in China. Danzhai people mainly farm and go out to work for a living. Over 80% of the poor here are inhabited in the mountainous areas. They live in dilapidated grass houses, and sometimes even food is beyond their reach. In 2007, the per capita net income of farmers in Danzhai was RMB2,124, only one-fifth of the national level. Then Wanda Group signed a contract in December 2014 to help eliminate poverty in Danzhai. The original plan focused on raising pigs and planting and processing tea, which were found to be hard for marketization and scale development. Eventually, the plan was adjusted to drive the development of other industries mainly through tourism. In 2016, Wanda Group invested RMB600 million to build a tourist town and RMB500 million to establish the Special Poverty Alleviation Fund for Danzhai. In 2017, the investment of the tourist town increased to RMB800 million. On July 3, 2017, Danzhai Wanda Town opened for operation. As at July 3, 2018, in one year, Danzhai Wanda Town received over 5.5 million tourist arrivals and drove the Danzhai comprehensive tourism revenue to RMB2.493 billion, directly lifting the income of 2,859 households (11,437 people) and indirectly lifting that of 1,182 households (4,729 people). Leveraging the driving force of Wanda Town, the poor in Danzhai have increased their income in both industrial development and stable employment through direct and radiation driving. In the past year, 28 leading poverty alleviation enterprises and 137 industrial poverty alleviation cooperatives have settled in Danzhai Wanda Town. Currently, 136 local specialty food and beverage outlets in the Town have signed direct supply agreements on agricultural products such as vegetables, edible fungi and meat with 81 village-level aquaculture cooperatives in Danzhai. As a result, by engaging in industrial development, 7665 poor people have raised their income, with an average annual income increase by RMB2,310 per household each year.[Source of Danzhai Case (the same below, no more description will be provided): “Danzhai Action” of Wang Jianlin: Creating a New Sample of Targeted Poverty
