Sojourn living fast growing new sector

Supply is changing, too. In Tuguachong village in Qujing, Yunnan, 77 vacant homes have been converted into 35 courtyard properties. Managers help guests collect parcels and buy necessities. One operator, Zhong Peng, said occupancy stayed above 85 percent throughout the year.

The proposition depends on preserving the setting people came for. "Our distinctive feature is that we haven't turned the countryside into a scenic attraction," Zhong said. "It is still the countryside."

However, growing demand does not automatically translate into higher profit margins. Trip.com's domestic long-stay booking values have stabilized after declining in recent years and remain about 10 percent below 2023 levels. Overseas customers still spend considerably more per booking, Liu said, but their average has also fallen.

The resulting market is also geographically uneven. While traditional havens like Yunnan and Hainan remain leading destinations, inbound and domestic interest is fanning out into Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region, and Guangdong and Fujian provinces. Within Yunnan, Dali still leads domestic searches on Trip.com, but its growth has slowed to about 2.5 percent. Kunming and Baoshan are growing faster, while Lijiang has experienced pullbacks. Scenery alone does not guarantee continued gains.

Operational sustainability presents a further challenge for working-age sojourners. Near Lijiang's Yulong Snow Mountain, hospitality operators report steady turnover among young urbanites who arrive testing whether they can accept a slower pace and wages well below those in major cities. Many move on after six months, proving that picturesque surroundings cannot by themselves sustain a career.

Tourism researchers warn against another systemic risk: similar-looking properties offering uneven quality. Their prescription is to tailor services with surgical precision — integrating preventative medical support for older people, reliable high-speed internet and shared workspaces for digital nomads, and nature-based educational activities for families. Building accommodation is only the beginning of that equation.

The industry's next test is therefore operational: delivering reliable services, workable prices and enough reasons to stay when the weather stops being the main attraction. The strongest businesses will need to make ordinary days work — for the retiree returning to a choir, the parent booking several bedrooms, and the traveler learning which wild greens to cook for dinner.

Stern's experience in Yuxi well represents the segment's attractiveness. Alongside its landscape, he has been drawn to the coexistence of different traditions, languages and ways of life. He has explored old kiln sites, watched copper-working and visited Dai ethnic villages.

A place becomes harder to leave when there is still something to learn and something new to cook for dinner.

lijing2009@chinadaily.com.cn