Aerial photo taken on July 12, 2019 shows general view of Liuba County of Hanzhong City, northwest China's Shaanxi Province. (Xinhua/Tao Ming)

320 villages have been selected for loans to develop their tourism in a way that preserves both tradition and the environment.

CHENGDU, July 29 (Xinhua) -- China has announced its first list of key tourism destinations in the country's rural areas, which consists of 320 villages across the country, according to the Ministry of Culture and Tourism Sunday.

The Agricultural Bank of China plans to grant the key rural tourism destinations, selected by the ministry and the National Development and Reform Commission, a total credit line of 100 billion yuan (14.5 billion U.S. dollars) in the next five years.

The decision was announced during a national conference on rural tourism held by the ministry in Chengdu, the provincial capital of southwest China's Sichuan Province.

The ministry emphasized the role of the homestay industry in rural tourism, stating that the development of a rural homestay industry should take an eco-friendly approach that adapts to local conditions and retains local flavor.

The ministry also noted the importance of homestay industry development in the country's poverty alleviation efforts.