Homestay success transforms villages

The cityscape of Kaiyang county. [Photo/Guiyang news network]

Sanhe village, Shuangliu town, Kaiyang county, Guiyang, Southwest China's Guizhou province, used to depend solely on agriculture, and many villagers had to work outside the village.

The comprehensive utilization of vacant rural houses has become a part of the village's efforts to achieve high-quality development since rural governance work began.

To bolster the healthy and orderly development of the homestay industry, Shuangliu town has developed a homestay development and management system, stipulating that homestay owners earn 80 percent of their homestay revenue, while 10 percent is given to the village for coordination and management services.

A rural homestay in Sanhe village. [Photo/Guiyang news network]

"This year, we estimate that the total homestay revenue of our village will exceed 1.2 million yuan ($169,200) and the village will earn 120,000 yuan, providing jobs for 87 villagers," said Yan Mingfu, Party chief of Sanhe village.

Longguang village is among the first batch of national ethnic villages, and the county has established a homestay pilot zone here called Shuidong Xiangshe.

"We have selected 1,060 rural houses and transformed them into rural homestays. Based on the village's cultural and historical legacy, we have kept the ancient trees, wells, paths, and cabins, and are promoting the branding of our homestays," said the manager of the homestay pilot zone Shuidong Xiangshe.

Trying to integrate rural homestays into the natural surroundings and unique local culture, the village fuses forestry, agriculture, sports and culture into tourism, through which several emerging businesses have thrived, propelling rural vitalization.