A businessman's perspective on village tourism

Situated among green mountains, natural views of Huangling are highlighted by its terraced fields and seas of flowers in spring. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

Compared with business in other industries, what else does it take to be a good developer in rural tourism?

It takes lots of perseverance and patience! Developing the tourism of a village takes a long time but will not see instant economic return. As you will work closely with villagers, you have to listen to them and respect them. You also need to have humanity, an inclusive heart, and respect for the environment and culture, in order to have sustainable development.

Huangling is new but has received positive feedback. If you still have any concern about its future, what are they?

My concerns come from the "extension" of two things: the business model, and the villagers' benefits. We have to make sure our tourism products are diversified. Instead of attracting as many as customers, we have to be able to control the flow to ensure quality and eco-friendliness. At the same time, the villagers have to benefit from the project as much as our company does, otherwise the development will not be sustainable.

Do you have confidence in China's rural tourism?

Absolutely! As we can see, the government is paying more attention to the protection of traditional villages, and more creative entrepreneurs are exploring better business models. The future of rural tourism is bright.