Homestay conversions breathe vitality into Guiyang's rural areas

Shuidong Xiangshe transforms idle rural houses in Kaiyang into homestays. [Photo/ddcpc website]

The Shuidong Xiangshe Xingyue Shanju Hotel is located in the Shili Hualang Scenic Area in Kaiyang county, Guiyang, capital of Southwest China's Guizhou province. The hotel's viewing platform offers stunning views of thin mist curling across rolling mountain ridges that stretch toward the horizon.

"Our rooms have been nearly fully booked this summer. Tourists who make their bookings too late often struggle to secure a reservation," said Chen Hongchi, chairman of Guizhou Shuidong Xiangshe Tourism Development Co. After 10 years working in the rural-stay industry, he is convinced that Guizhou's mountains and waters make it an ideal place to develop the rural residence sector.

Longguang village saw most of its young and middle‑aged residents leave in search of migrant work, leaving countless farmhouses empty and farmland untended.

Villagers lived surrounded by verdant mountains and clear waters yet struggled to translate these natural advantages into an economic advantage. At the same time, city residents yearned for an idyllic rural retreat but had no practical way to make that dream a reality.

Chen wanted to bridge the gap between urban demand and rural supply. His goal was to revitalize underused rural resources, channel urban capital and consumer demand into the countryside, and integrate rural resources and natural scenery into urban lifestyles. This laid the foundation for Shuidong Xiangshe's development vision.

To date, Shuidong Xiangshe has revitalized more than 60 old dwellings across Kaiyang's Shili Hualang Scenic Area. More than 90 households have put their farmhouses in as equity stakes, earning an average annual income of over 30,000 yuan ($4,450).

This year, the rural-stay division of Guizhou Shuidong Xiangshe Tourism Development Co has generated over 20 million yuan in revenue. The team has grown from an original 30 employees to 160, with 80 percent of front‑line service staff members hired locally. It attracts upwards of 200,000 guests each year.