A new generation of travelers
The changing tourism landscape is also evident in Kuliang's accommodation sector.
At Kuliang's Ginlan Jia Hotel, operator Ma Yu says younger travelers are becoming an increasingly essential part of the market. "In the past, summer retreats tended to attract relatively older guests," Ma says. "Young people now have more ideas about how they want to spend their time."
The hotel has moved beyond a conventional accommodation model, developing camping activities alongside a planned market featuring cultural and creative products, as well as pet-friendly offerings.
The market is intended to give visitors and interest groups a place to set up stalls, allowing them to become participants in the destination rather than simply consumers, Ma explains.
The hotel is also experimenting with food.
Traditional mountain destinations often rely on familiar rural dishes and local ingredients. At the hotel, Ma says chefs are experimenting with a fusion of Jiangsu-Zhejiang (province) and local Fuzhou cuisines, while reworking traditional Kuliang dishes and incorporating local mountain ingredients such as chicken, duck and seasonal vegetables into more contemporary dishes.
The aim is to retain a taste of the mountain while giving familiar ingredients a different presentation and flavor profile.
Ma says the hotel is responding by bringing camping, food, markets, pet-friendly activities and the surrounding scenery into a single experience, while keeping prices relatively accessible.
The property itself reflects Kuliang's broader effort to give old spaces new uses. It was developed from a former industrial and commercial training center that had fallen into disuse and reopened in July 2023 after renovation. The hotel now promotes mountain views and modern facilities, including an open-air pool.
Its average occupancy rate is around 75 to 80 percent, according to Ma, with demand particularly strong during summer.
