With the vibrant summer holiday season in full swing, He Yuling has recently been running a bed and breakfast at the foot of the Great Wall, welcoming guests from all over the world.
“Last month, more than 5,500 customers came to our store, bringing in total revenue of 600,000 yuan (about US$84,169.18),” said He, 55.
Spanning an area of around 3,500 square metres, He’s B&B is located in Shixia Village, near the iconic Badaling Great Wall Scenic Area in Yanqing District on the outskirts of Beijing.
Shixia, whose history dates back to the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644), was once hampered by its remote location and poor transport links, but has seen a cultural tourism boom in recent years thanks to the popularity of the nearby Great Wall.
He was born in Qianlizhuang village near the scenic spot, and when he visited Shixia in 2014, he was immediately captivated by the tourism resources associated with the Great Wall.
“The presence of the Great Wall in almost every part of Shixia makes it a major attraction for both locals and tourists,” she explained.
Capitalizing on this attraction, she rented 12 dilapidated courtyard buildings from local villagers and transformed them into a B&B called “Shiguang Great Wall.”
The homes blend traditional Chinese architecture with modern comforts, He said, and guests can enjoy views of the Great Wall from their courtyards, gaze at the stars through their glass roofs or listen to the melodic sounds of wind chimes echoing through the mountains.
With its quiet and cozy atmosphere, the B&B has won widespread praise and is expected to reach 6 million yuan in total revenue in 2023. He recently expanded its facilities to include a bookstore and cafe to cater to the diverse needs of tourists.
During the farming off-season, some villagers worked part-time at He’s B&B to supplement their income. With the increase in tourists, more and more villagers are turning their courtyards into B&Bs.
Shixia village, which has a population of just over 100, currently has 21 B&Bs, which are expected to generate a total income of more than 8 million yuan by 2023, with the average income per villager reaching 36,221 yuan.
One beneficiary of the tourism boom is Liu Yuqing, who runs a B&B and keeps a busy schedule as a guide, educating tourists on the village’s history, which has seen her annual income increase by more than 40,000 yuan.
The Great Wall is China’s outstanding cultural heritage, consisting of walls scattered across 15 provincial-level regions, with Yanqing alone boasting considerable Great Wall resources stretching over 179.2 kilometers.
Last year, Yanqing topped all districts in Beijing for holiday tourist numbers, with the Great Wall drawing both domestic and international visitors.
More cultural resources related to the Great Wall will be developed, injecting new vitality into the local tourism industry, according to Ye Dahua, head of the Yanqing district government.
