Homestay business gains ground in mountain village

A bird's eye view of Qinshan village in Ningbo's Zhenhai district. [Photo/Ningbo Evening News]

Qinshan village in Zhenhai district, Ningbo, East China's Zhejiang province, has become a popular tourism destination after once being an obscure mountain village.

The village, surrounded by mountains on three sides, is known for its pristine natural environment and unique homestays transformed from local residential houses. 

Qinjia Xiaoyuan was among the first homestays to open in the village. It was transformed from a hardware casting factory in response to the local government's call to strengthen environmental protection by phasing out backward capacity.

Zhang Lianping, owner of the homestay, said that business has gradually improved since its opening and rooms are usually fully booked on weekends and holidays, with most visitors coming from Ningbo and cities outside Zhejiang, such as Shanghai and Suzhou.

The homestays have not only raised the incomes of villagers, but also increased sales of local specialties such as bamboo shoots, tea leaves, and bayberries.