Zhou Ke from Ningbo looks after children playing in Minfeng village, East China's Zhejiang province on Oct 7.[Photo/Ningbo Evening News]

Minfeng village in Ningbo, East China's Zhejiang province was a popular destination for family tours during the National Day holiday. 

Zhou Ke, 29, who is from the village, served as a tour guide for children, and has been making efforts to develop the village's tourism industry over the past five years.

Minfeng village, located in Beilun district, is an ancient village with a history of more than 800 years and surrounded by mountains. Most residents in the village are seniors, while most young people are working or living elsewhere, mainly in the cities.

Zhou returned to the village in 2016, after deciding to start a business there. He renovated his former residence, a two-story wooden house built during the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911), and transformed it into a niangao (a sticky rice cake) workshop.

Due to the emergence of rural tourism, Zhou explored more channels for development. His new products, salted wax gourd and braised bamboo shoots, were popular among visitors. To increase production, he bought ingredients from farmers in the village, which has proved to be a mutually beneficial arrangement, with Zhou receiving the ingredients he needs and local farmers receiving a steady source of income.

As Zhou's business developed, he cooperated with travel agencies to introduce the village to more visitors, especially parents.

During weekends and holidays, Zhou is always busy arranging family trips and looking after children, who can pick vegetables themselves in the fields and learn traditional activities such as dragon dancing and making sennits. He also invites locals to join him.

Zhou regards Minfeng village as the place where his dreams began. He hopes it will become more and more popular and locals can prosper together.