Country for PR: China
Contributor: Xinhua News Agency
Wednesday, November 24 2021 - 22:02
AsiaNet
The Rizhao Model for a Thriving Homestay Industry
RIZHAO, China, Nov. 24, 2021 /Xinhua-AsiaNet/--

The homestay industry has in recent years witnessed fast development in Rizhao, 
Shandong. The city has forged a new path of reform and innovation, creating a 
Rizhao Model for the development of the homestay industry, by active 
exploration and efforts in areas such as legal compliance, standards, 
quality-oriented growth, and industry clusters, according to the Information 
Office of Rizhao Municipal People's Government. The 2021 Dragon Boat Festival 
Holiday Travel Big Data Report released by Ctrip in June this year reveals that 
Rizhao has experienced one of the most robust increases in bookings for holiday 
accommodation. As of November, Rizhao has 56 boutique homestays and 1,200 
Yujiale fishing-themed tourist establishments.

The boutique homestays market segment in Rizhao emerged in 1999 when the first 
batch of Yujiale establishments opened for operation in Wangjiazao Village. 
During the ensuing two decades, Rizhao has expended unremitting effort in a 
quality-oriented, brand-based, industrialized development approach, including 
an improved license application and handling process, optimized approval 
process, strengthened policies, and financial support. Five Rural 
Revitalization Demonstration Projects have been launched, namely Beautiful 
Villages, Rural Complex, Featured Towns, Modern Agricultural Industrial Parks, 
and Boutique Homestays. The boutique homestays project aims to promote 
sustained development of the homestay industry, satisfying demand for various 
levels of accommodation.

As well as establishing high-quality accommodation, the homestay industry of 
Rizhao is also focused on developing a range of characteristics. To this end, 
there are four types of homestays: rural life experience, coastal and marine 
recreation, rustic luxury, and town-based. These four types of homestays 
highlight the regional characteristics of Rizhao based on its fishing folk 
customs, coastal setting, artistic creativity, and marine resources, plus a 
unique combination of different cultures such as the solar culture, marine 
culture and tea culture. Rizhao is one of the first northern Chinese areas that 
have introduced tea planting from the south.

Alongside the homestay industry, a wide range of enterprises have taken root in 
Rizhao, for example, catering, entertainment, shopping, cultural and artistic, 
and DIY businesses, and upon these a range of small tourist destinations and 
tourist attractions have been shaped. By facilitating the catering, shopping, 
entertainment, research / academic, and health and wellness sectors, Rizhao has 
extended the upstream and downstream supply chain of its boutique homestay 
industry, to increase added value and bring new vitality into the boutique 
homestay industry, with representative boutique brands such as the Beihai 
Jinhua Zen & Tea Inn, Quanshan Yunding Bufu Hotel, Chunfeng Shili Rural 
Cultural Tourism Creative Park, Small Tea Mountain Homestay, and Fenghuangcuo 
Village.

Source: The Information Office of Rizhao Municipal People's Government

Image Attachments Links:

   Link: https://iop.asianetnews.net/view-attachment?attach-id=408616

   Caption: The Quanshan Yunding Bufu Hotel

   Link: https://iop.asianetnews.net/view-attachment?attach-id=408624

   Caption: The Qidun Batai Boathouse Hotel

   Link: https://iop.asianetnews.net/view-attachment?attach-id=408625

   Caption:  The Beishan Xiangju Hotel

   Link: https://iop.asianetnews.net/view-attachment?attach-id=408626

   Caption: The Tiantai Mountain Sun Inn