Zhejiang recently announced a plan to build scenic cities and towns, according to the guidelines published by the Zhejiang Provincial Department of Culture and Tourism.

The scenic cities and towns are divided into three levels: 3A, 4A and 5A, with 5A being the highest. All counties, districts, townships, towns, and sub-districts in Zhejiang can apply for the level rating.

A "scenic city" is a built-up area in a county featuring a profound history, rich culture, scenic views, various entertainment facilities, and comprehensive public facilities.

The ancient streets, cultural relics, and historical buildings in the scenic cities must be well-preserved and their urban gardens and public lawns must be free of charge.

Scenic cities must also have a variety of greenways and cycling paths and strong public transport, including shared bikes, carpools, and rowboats.

All museums, libraries, cultural centers, intangible cultural heritage halls, art galleries, science museums, cultural relics, and former residences of famous people in these cities must be open to the public for free.

They should also have a well-developed tourism consultation service system and travel-related website, mobile application, and official WeChat account. Each city must have a cultural brand, regular sporting events, local folk customs, exhibitions, and special dishes.

The requirements for scenic towns are basically the same as scenic cities, with the main difference being that scenic towns are based on "Beautiful Towns", their main sightseeing areas should have free wifi, and they should have convenient public transit between surrounding scenic spots and scenic villages.