County B&Bs become a window to local culture
As travelers increasingly seek unique experiences, staying in local guesthouses is becoming a new way to immerse themselves in regional lifestyles. From vibrant celebrations with Uyghur homestay hosts in Xinjiang’s Ili region to donning Bai ethnic attire and savoring Yunnan’s traditional firepit feasts in Dali, these local accommodations are becoming popular travel destinations in their own right.
The trend of county-level homestays that offer cultural experiences has blossomed within the tourism industry, showing continuous growth in both supply and bookings. For many visitors, these homestays serve as a window into local culture and community.
According to Meituan’s statistics, more and more tourists are flocking to county towns to stay in homestays and experience a different way of life. The peak traveling season during the National Day holiday saw high interest in homestays in places like Yangshuo in Guilin, Huizhou in Huidong, and Pingtan in Fuzhou. Data from Xiaozhu Homestay shows that locations such as Fenghuang in Hunan, Kaihua in Zhejiang, and Langzhong in Sichuan are favored by visitors for their authenticity and affordability.
Moreover, the launch of the game “Black Myth: Wukong” has ignited interest in tourism in Shanxi, resulting in a 63.3% year-over-year increase in homestay bookings. Notable locations featuring ancient architecture, such as Jincheng, Xixian, and Shuozhou, are also seeing rising popularity. In the vicinity of Wutai Mountain in Xinzhou, homestays are offering unique experiences like sutra copying, tea tasting, and pottery making.
According to Tujia Homestay, there has been a nearly 50% increase in bookings for county-level homestays during the National Day period, with the platform now covering 1,501 counties. This sector exhibits robust demand and supply. Recent insights from Tujia suggest that areas like Pingtan in Fujian, Yangshuo in Guangxi, and Wuyuan in Jiangxi are at the forefront of this homestay boom, benefiting from rich tourism resources and good infrastructure.
A survey indicates that 70% of homestay hosts in rural areas are willing to offer unique services such as fruit picking, fishing, and wild vegetable foraging, while 80.6% are eager to personally welcome guests into their establishments.
Take “Yunyan Tingyu” in Diaotan Village, Lishui, Zhejiang, which maintains original rustic architecture while providing various facilities like a reading bar and an art studio. They offer classes on local musical instruments and tea-making, enabling guests to experience the charm of local culture firsthand. Utilizing the natural landscape, the homestay also provides agricultural tourism and seasonal health-conscious meals.
Hosts from minority ethnic groups are keen to introduce visitors to their cultural traditions, often providing ethnic costumes for guests to wear, fully immersing them into the lives of local communities. For instance, in the Xinjiang region near Sai’er Lake, Kazakh host Maria combines traditional yurt living with homestay services, attracting numerous visitors during peak seasons. “We have over 200 sheep and more than 30 cows. During the day, we organize activities like milking sheep and teach guests how to ride horses,” Maria explains.
During the recent National Day holiday, tourism surged in Jiuzhaigou, leading to a significant influx of guests. “In the past, the biggest challenge for visitors was transportation. With the new high-speed rail and improved roads, getting to Jiuzhaigou has become much easier,” shares Xiaobi, owner of Biji Xiaozhu in Jiuzhaigou.
At Biji Xiaozhu, guests can experience traditional Tibetan clothing firsthand. “Wearing ethnic attire is the most direct way to connect with local culture,” Xiaobi states, having refurbished an old wooden house passed down through generations to create a cozy space where guests can relax and enjoy local music and food.
In Lanchang Lahu Autonomous County in Yunnan, Lahu host Zanu recently transformed a family home into a music-themed guesthouse, taking advantage of the National Day holiday to attract visitors. “The Lahu people are known for their singing and dancing. I enjoy meeting people and sharing my homeland with them,” Zanu explains. He often invites guests to join him in singing and dancing, performing original songs that celebrate Lahu culture.
Zanu’s homestay quickly gained popularity, becoming a hidden gem on the Tujia platform. Guests have praised the experience, commenting on the beauty of the traditional music and the warm hospitality of his family. Looking ahead, Zanu plans to enhance his homestay by offering guests Lahu attire to enrich their experience further.
The rise of minority hosts like Zanu reflects a broader trend, as Tujia highlights that its platform now features hosts from 51 ethnic groups. From Dongji Island in Zhoushan to Sanya Bay and beyond, hosts are emerging nationwide. In just this year, over half of the counties on the platform have reported growth in the number of hosts.
County-level homestays not only provide visitors with a variety of accommodation options but also present new economic opportunities for local communities. As a rising segment of rural tourism, the homestay industry plays a crucial role in promoting cultural tourism and revitalizing local economies.
Local governments are increasingly prioritizing the development of homestays. Recent initiatives include “Traveling Shaanxi through Homestays,” which showcases the potential of rural tourism as a means of economic transformation and sustainable development.
In Anhui’s Qimen County, known as the “Hometown of Chinese Black Tea,” the local government is leveraging its natural advantages to develop boutique homestays that offer rich cultural experiences, fostering the integration of tea tourism, cultural tourism, and wellness tourism as new economic driving forces.
