Robbie Kemp-Welch
Chuizi Kong
Aidan McPhail
Yilin Tong
Dalhousie University
Kent Williams
Cassia Gohl
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The Huojia county of Xinxiang city is one of immense cultural and environmental history. During our interview with Mr. Zhang, he detailed the tremendous community of farmers that have dedicated their lives to supporting the community and maintaining the immaculate landscape of the area. Although the Huojia county has been able to prosper in its long history, many of the villagers have unfortunately fallen into financial danger as they maintain the effort to preserve the beauty of the area.
Forton Holding Group has begun a project to help the villagers of Huojia to acquire the living resources they are unable to access in their region. Forton has also begun implementing means for people to visit the region, providing a much needed boost to the employment rate and access to the immaculate environmental area. The innovative thinking by Forton Holding Group to provide a solution to the regions issues without sacrificing any of the environmental quality is a massive feat and can hopefully serve as an example for future similar endeavours. Forton was able to provide innovation and infrastructure for the people of the region by thinking outside of the box. The easy route may have been to bring the resources to the village and sacrifice the historical and environmental beauty for convenience. However, providing means of transportation can single handedly eradicate the financial troubles by bringing in money from outside the region through tourism and easier exportation of services. This perspective will cause a spike in trade and help to provide a need, as opposed to a shortage, of occupation in the area.
Not only has this innovative thinking increased the opportunities of the current residents, but it has also provide the ability for new residents to enter into the region and continue its growth. Mr.Zhang spoke about many new, young residents in the region that have built art halls, restaurants, and new franchises in the town that actually utilize the existing residents cultural and historical abilities to ensure their survival.
The inspiration for Forton is an extremely commendable one. Mr.Zhang told us that most young people with the capabilities to earn money in the region have gone to areas with more financial opportunity. Forton wants to change that and display the region as one to come to and not one to leave. The inspiration is one of rural revitalization in a sustainable manner to preserve the beauty of the region, while offering great opportunities for the villagers to create their own franchises and attract sustainable and cultural businesses back to the region.
The characteristic cultural town integrates leisure, tourism, shopping, education, service and other functions, and will become the "highland" of design, research and development, finance, science and technology, and industrial resources. In the development and promotion of this town, we must protect the ecological environment, safeguard the interests of residents, first of all, we must protect its beautiful primitive nature.
The cultural town is the best channel for local residents to bring crops, home-cooked dishes and handicrafts to tourists through shops. Tourists can experience the local culture and customs, taste local snacks, and residents can make a living from it. Similarly, larger towns attract more money and talent. Many cultural and creative youth and fashion people participate in investment management. Many franchisees have entered the town, and art corridors, inns, coffee shops, bars and so on have been built in the town.
It is important that China has a lot of intangible cultural heritage, which is exquisite and precious. But they cannot be copied, such as traditional embroidery and ceramics, so they are easily forgotten and eliminated by people. And through the operation of the town and its residents, people can see and buy the culture, which is a way of passing on the culture. The overall effect is not only to boost the economy but also to promote traditional culture.
As Mr. Zhang had mentioned, the development of the cultural tourism town has increased tourism within the town, which will lead to job creation for those in the tourism industry as well as economic growth and stimulation for the town. The tourism income in 2019 exceeds hundreds of millions of RMB, which also expands our business scope. The great achievement of this project can also help the area recover from economic losses suffered as a result of the COVID-19 Pandemic.
With the continuous development of the small town economy, the rural infrastructure has been constructed, the villagers have gradually been lifted out of poverty, and the quality of their life has also improved.
Besides, the jobs in cultural town are able to solve the problem of employment, it also gives possibilities for life, and the traditional culture can be recognized and passed on from this small town to the outside.
Finally, it is meaningful for us to use the vigorous power of business to create a better future for the world.
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Zhang Xiaofang, Regional Manager
With the purpose of helping rural residents get rid of poverty and the principle of maintaining ecological peace, Futong Holding Group has developed a characteristic small town tourism project. It is surprising that small town economy can also bring huge benefits.