Rapeseed flowers are in full bloom in Nakong village, Guizhou province. [Photo provided by Liu Xiancheng]

Located on the banks of Zhexiang county’s Sancha River, Nakong village has been developing rural tourism to improve local incomes. The developments have been fruitful, as statistics show that the village received more than 470,000 visitors over the 2016 Spring Festival period.

Cen Limao is one of the beneficiaries of the new industry. In February 2015, the Zhejiang Chamber of Commerce decided to rent Cen’s house to open a homestay hotel after making a field trip under the invitation of local authorities. Investigators found the village to be full of picturesque landscapes and ethnic culture, important resources for developing rural tourism.

The chamber pays Cen an annual rent of 30,000 yuan ($4,361.86) and also employs Cen’s daughter and wife as staff. “We give the mother and daughter about 5,000 yuan a month,” explained Shen Jian, general manager of the chamber’s homestay hotel project in Nakong.

According to Shen, the chamber invested 10 million yuan in the village to set up two homestay hotels providing jobs for nearly 100 villagers. In 2016, another 320 million yuan was invested to build a restaurant featuring local culture. To further attract investments from other regions, local authorities have also taken measures to improve the village’s environment. New roads have been built and villagers have been encouraged to grow peach, pomegranate and orange trees around their homes.

Home to both the Bouyei and Miao ethnic groups, the village has many unique houses, and ancient buildings that have been recently renovated. More than 30 Bouyei farmhouses have also been built to further display the local culture.

A new homestay hotel in Nakong village. [Photo provided by Liu Xiancheng]