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Lure of winter tourism boosts homestays in Xinjiang province

Wednesday, January 30, 2019

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As winter tourism continues to grow it has given the homestay business a shot in the arm in Xinjiang, Northwest China’s Uygur autonomous region.

 

Various winter fun activities and more trains and flights have turned up the heat during the region’s winter.

 

Local authorities now offer more than 130 tourism activities through March, and major scenic spots provide free or discounted skiing and dining tickets.

 

Approximately 2.1 million tourists visited the area during the recent three-day New Year’s Day holiday, up 40.58 per cent as compared with the same period in the previous year, the regional department of culture and tourism reported.

 

Tourism generated 1.69 billion yuan ($246 million) revenue, a year-on-year increase of 46.86 per cent.

 

All of Xinjiang Trollflower Hotel’s 20 rooms were booked during the New Year holiday.
“Tourists have increased a lot from the previous winter, and advance booking is required during the winter holidays,” says Tang Qi, an employee with the Xinjiang Trollflower Travel Agency, which runs the homestay.

 

The agency has special winter activities almost every week, such as ski and bonfire parties.
The Trollflower is just one of the local accommodation providers that have enjoyed the boon of emerging winter tourism.

 

Chi Binchang from the eastern Shandong province has also seen Xinjiang’s tourism potential boom.

 

“In 2003, I was only meant to travel to Hemu village in Altay, and I never expected the beautiful scenery here would appeal to me so much,” Chi said.

 

But it didn’t take long for Chi to decide to invest in the homestay business at Hemu. His Wusong mountain villa has seen a significantly growing number of winter vacationers since 2016.

 

His Wusong villa took in more than 300 travellers over Oct 15 to Dec 31, up 50 per cent over the same period in the previous year, according to Chi.

 

Speaking about the improved business prospects, Ma Zhonghai, a villager running a homestay at Hemu, says: “Winter tourism is doing very well, and local income (in winter) is roughly the same as summer.”

 

Ma now expects his monthly revenue to hit 30,000-40,000 yuan during the winter.

 

Meanwhile, the local authority is also implementing policies to encourage villagers to open homestays.

 

So, each household can receive 5,000 yuan if they promote winter tourism activities, says Wang Chengming, the deputy director of the Kanas scenic spot management committee.

 

The incentive has attracted many local college students to return home and start up homestay businesses.

 

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