According to Du, now 210 villagers are employed by tourism companies and cooperatives, with a monthly income of more than 3,000 yuan, and around 40 people have lifted their annual income to over 60,000 yuan by working for landscape rennovation and bed & breakfast (b & b) projects.

 

The development of tourism also brings business opportunities for local villagers. In order to transfer these “opportunities” into tangible profits, the Party branch of the village has conducted regular traning for the villagers under the assistance of local organizations and schools. The traning includes skill courses on special breeding, tour guide services, cooking and e-commerce, as well as guidances on running agritainment facilities, b & b programs, and covinient stores.

 

Now the village is home to 38 stores of local speciaties, 11 agritainment facilities, and 14 covenient stores. “Some agritainment facilities can even make revenue of 50,000 yuan just during the first 15 days of the Lunar New Year,” Du told People’s Daily.

 

As a national-level pilot village for tourism-assisted poverty alleviation, Chixi is dubbed as a “role model of agritourism” and “the most beautiful leisure village”.

 

Du noted that the village will give full play to its ecological advantages, further develop the culture of She ethnic group, and keep promoting agritourism through exhibitions and the internet.