UN title sparks tourism boom for pear orchard

Ancient agriculture in Northwest China finds modern fortune

The Gaolan Shichuan Ancient Pear Orchard, about an hour north of Lanzhou in Northwest China's Gansu province, has become one of the country's leading examples of how agricultural heritage can fuel modern tourism without sacrificing authenticity.

In 2025, the orchard system was designated as a Globally Important Agricultural Heritage System by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, joining a growing list of landscapes recognized for preserving living agricultural traditions while supporting local development.