According to Wen Ziji, deputy director of the Beijing Bureau of Tourism, the initiation of the route is part of the efforts by the municipal government to help get the poor county out of poverty.

Covering a total area of 3,219 square kilometers, Badong County has a population of 486,000, among which 43 percent are of minority nationalities. The county is also one of the places where part of its inhabitants have to migrate to pave the way for the Three Gorges Project.

The tourist route, mainly targeted to those enthusiastic about social commonwealth, is aimed to help exploit local tourist resources and create a name for this area.

Tourist activities will include donations to local Project Hope, visits to new habitats of migrants, visits to the Shennongjia Natural Reserve, and many other places of interest.

(Xinhua News Agency 07/08/2001)