"The mountains are greener, the water is clearer, and such an environment provides visitors with a very comfortable experience," he said.

Liu Feng, an official from Taining Tourism Management Committee, emphasized that tourism is the county's pillar industry. Last year, Taining's total tourism revenue reached nearly 7.6 billion yuan ($1.06 billion), and attracted nearly 9 million visitors, according to him.

"Protecting our clear waters and green mountains brings real, tangible benefits to our people," he said.

Currently, nearly one-fifth of the county's population is involved in the tourism industry, with the tertiary industry, dominated by tourism, accounting for more than one-third of the county's GDP, said Rao Xiujiang, deputy head of Taining county.

Deng Jiahui contributed to this story.