Over the years, Raorao village in Gaopo township, Huaxi district, Guiyang, capital of Southwest China's Guizhou province, has been striving to develop tourism by renovating idle farmhouses to engage in the sojourn industry and has seen excellent results. This year, the village's tourism revenue is expected to exceed 2 million yuan ($276,800).
Raorao village is a typical Bouyei ethnic village with a solid foundation for rural tourism development. In 2019, it was selected as one of the first provincial-level key rural tourism villages in Guizhou, and in 2020, it was included in the second batch of national-level key rural tourism villages.
Since the launch of the demonstration project for the sojourn industry, Gaopo township has created a brand to promote the industry in Raorao. By the end of 2023, 19 idle farmhouses had been revitalized.
The person in charge of Gaopo township said that this year, another 15 farmhouses will be renovated, with work expected to be completed by the end of May. By then, the village will be able to accommodate over 700 visitors at once.
Li Lin, who rented and renovated the idle houses to operate a homestay business in Raorao, said that his business opens every March, and this year, during cole flower blooming season, his homestay has already received several waves of tourists.
During the peak season in July and August, the rooms are usually fully booked in advance, catering mainly to tourists escaping the summer heat from places like Jiangxi and Chongqing, he added.