Reviving empty villages as lively homestay destinations

In a significant rural vitalization effort, Linqu county in Weifang has turned idle farmhouses into bustling homestays, particularly in the Songshan Mountain area.

Over 4 million yuan ($561,500) has been invested to develop nine projects, including a mountain persimmon processing center, a natural dyeing intangible cultural heritage workshop, and a nostalgia museum, resulting in over 70 popular spots like "Xiyanchi Pool" and "Longxi Spring".

A courtyard of a homestay in Qiantou village, located at the Songshan Mountain Ecological Tourism Development Service Center in Linqu county, Shandong province. [Photo by Wang Ying for chinadaily.com.cn]

In the natural dyeing workshop of Qiantou village in Linqu, a blue printed cloth workshop produces fabric dolls, blue printed cushions, and mini tote bags. [Photo by Wang Ying for chinadaily.com.cn]

In 2023, the initiative brought 350,000 tourists to Songshan Mountain, whose accommodation, dining, and local specialty sales boosted revenues from tourism to over 25 million yuan  and raised the average villager's income by 12,000 yuan.

Linqu county is committed to developing a national-level ecological civilization demonstration area, focusing on enhancing service quality in scenic areas, creating new experience models, and improving operational systems.

Key projects such as the entire Songshan Mountain area, Northern Stone Forest Park, and Shihe River rafting are being improved, extending the tourism industry chain to offer a variety of homestay products that cater to different tourist preferences, including stargazing, camping, and study tours.