Illustration: Liu Xiangya/GT

Featuring bridges over flowing streams and antique-looking architecture, ancient towns and cities have been cultural tourist hot spots nationwide. However, a recent news report about Dayong Ancient City in Central China's Hunan Province has raised doubts about whether such ancient towns still hold appeal? 

Blessed with the unparalleled advantage of being in the stellar Chinese tourism city Zhangjiajie, the Dayong site has visitors few and far between and has reportedly accumulated over 1 billion yuan ($140 million) in losses during its four-year trial operation. Its shocking flop has not just exposed the site's failure, but also serves as a sharp reminder to the ancient town tourism industry: Travelers are losing their appetite for ancient town attractions amid the abundant choices available. 

Rooted in the country's diverse regional cultures, China's rich ancient town resources actually present a good starting point for the sector's tourism growth. According to a report released by the China Tourism Academy, as of 2024, China's ancient towns were largely concentrated in six provinces including Sichuan, Zhejiang and Jiangsu, gathering more than half of the ancient down tourism sites of the country. 

However, in order to quickly "jump into the pool," like what Zhang Jianchi, the director of Zhangjiajie Tourism Group who manages the Dayong Ancient City, told media, many ancient towns have all starting to carry out artificial redesigns. It is precisely such generic designs that have made many ancient towns look similar when it comes to not only their architectural style or commercial layout, but even the experiences they offer. 

"Grilled sausages and squid, they all peddles pretty much the same things. Looking through my photos, I can't even tell which one I've visited," Yao Yinghong, a 53-year-old visitor, told the Global Times.  

Yao's experience actually reveals how the similarity of ancient towns has induced aesthetic fatigue in visitors. Her mention of "grilled sausages" everywhere also underlines how the assembly-line like commercial offerings of such attractions has become boring. 

This sameness kills the joy of discovery. Therefore, the urgent priority is for ancient town developers to break free from copy-and-paste logic and instead ground commercial development in each project's unique local character.

Finding an ancient town's local character can be carried out in two stages. For the first stage, developers should review the local cultural history of an ancient town, and to find a "hook" that will capture the attention of tourists. 

Located in the Qiandongnan Miao and Dong autonomous prefecture in Southwest China's Guizhou Province, Zhenyuan ancient town isn't the biggest ancient town attraction, but stands out due to its 2,000-year-old folk tradition of Dragon Boat racing. 

By hosting a dragon boat race and cultural festival as core attractions, the ancient town welcomed 199,400 visitors during the 2025 Dragon Boat Festival. The Dragon Boat race tradition is the "hook" for Zhenyuan ancient town's tourism development. It allows visitors to naturally associate the site with its irreplaceable "Dragon Boat" brand. 

Unearthing an ancient town's historical cultural genes can certainly distinguish it from others, but that alone isn't enough. As consumer demands and socio-cultural trends evolve, the cultural narrative of ancient towns must become more integrated with people's contemporary values. In other words, step two involves ancient town scenic spots finding new means to interpret their local culture. 

Located in Jiaxing, Zhejiang Province, Puyuan ancient town, also known as Puyuan fashion resort, is a good example. It was historically known for the sweater manufacturing tradition that emerged during the 1970s. Yet now the town has transformed its traditional garment manufacturing heritage into a tourism brand. By hosting runway shows and fashion events, the ancient town has become a synonym for "fashion," engaging targeted visitors. 

"Our visitors are those life-loving individuals who pursue fashionable lifestyles regardless of their age," Yao Jie, a representative of the resort's management sector, told the Global Times. 

Whether it's a "dragon boat racing" town or the "Puyuan fashion town," these ancient towns that have regained their local cultural roots need not fear obscurity, because they understand the power of their local narratives and how they will always provide visitors with special experiences. 

The question of what special experience an ancient town can provide is becoming widely discussed among travelers in recent years as experiential tourism has emerged as a trend. In the past, the tourism market was dominated by "sightseeing trips," during which visitors prioritized visual appeal and sought out picturesque spots for photo opportunities. As a result, ancient towns with unique scenery (even if somewhat generic) thrived.

But today, travelers have shifted from mere "check-ins" to an "experience-first" mindset, valuing immersive engagement over snapshots. They no longer visit just to "take memories home" but to "create stories worth telling." This change in demand signals a crucial lesson for ancient towns' future development: Finding more creative ways to tell the story of local narratives. 

The author is a reporter with the Global Times. life@globaltimes.com.cn