Ximaiyao Village in Laoshan District, Qingdao, a fishing village that enjoys a history of more than 400 years, has shown an amazing turnaround and become a cluster of homestays. Situated near the mountains and only 200m from the sea, the small fishing village boasts not only unsophisticated stone houses, but also courtyards with a great modern sense. Over the recent year, different styles of homestays have mushroomed in the village, appealing to an increasing number of homestay enthusiasts and investors. To date, Ximaiyao Village, where 102 homestays are in operation, annually receives more than 100,000 tourists and generates more than RMB30mln in turnover.

    The cluster of homestays in Ximaiyao Village is not a single phenomenon in Qingdao. With rural vitalization under way , rural areas in Qingdao present a picture of prosperity and the homestay industry is becoming diversified, staggered and differentiated. For instance, Liuqinghe Village, Dongmaiyao Village, Ximaiyao Village and other villages in Shazikou Neighborhood, Laoshan District have co-founded the Liuqing Bay Industry Alliance that covers the surrounding villages and comprises more than 300 homestays with tens of hundreds of rooms, including high-end homestay brands such as Xianju Laoshan, Yushang Shanjian, Laoshan Shuyuan and Zhaoshi Chengbao and featuring the co-existence of themed brand homestays, top-quality coastal homestays and romantic tourism and photoing homestays. The Liuqing Bay Industry Alliance, which is among the top-ranking cluster areas of homestays in Qingdao Municipality and even Shandong Province in terms of the number of homestays and reception scale, has fostered new economic models integrated with homestay including “homestay+specialty catering”, “homestay+featured agriculture”, “homestay+tourism shopping”, “homestay+art care” and “homestay+cultural recreation”. The local authorities give rein to natural and cultural resources including mountains, seas, buildings and fishery and stretch strong cultural atmosphere fostered by homestay to build a town of art with distinctive mountain and sea cultural features.

    With more than 2,000 homestays of all kinds, providing over 20,000 beds, Qingdao boasts the most homestays among cities in Shandong Province and fosters a new model for its rural tourism development with “homestay+”.  (Chen Yong)

A cluster of homestays at the foot of Qingdao Laoshan Mountain. By Xing Zhifeng)

Homestays of antique beauty in Dongmaiyao Village, Laoshan District, Qingdao. By Zhang Jin