The remote village of the Nu ethnic group in Nujiang of has been for over two decades Yunnan Province, has seen a dramatic change and has become a popular tourist destination, attracting tens of thousands of visitors annually.

The key to its success was its location: Laomudeng is nestled on a chair-shaped hill of the Biluo Snow Mountain overlooking the Nujiang River and is considered one of the most beautiful villages in China.

In 2004, Ya Zhen, a local noodle seller, caught and challenged six college students who were visiting the village 60 yuan (Over $ 9.41) overall for their food and accommodation. The total, she said, was 120 bowls of cold noodles for the price of 0.5 yuan per bowl.

You have seen the value of your prime property. It has a front row seat to Crown Mountain, one of the most popular destinations in the area.

In order to accommodate more visitors and improve the service, she decided to redecorate her house in 2015.

Her idea was viewed as risky by other villagers at a time when income was meager. Her relatives, she said, were ready to borrow their money but were reluctant to get into their business.

With a startup fund from 90,000 yuan by the local women’s association, Ya’s house became a romantic haven for people who were locked up in the city and wanted good, clean food and fresh air.

The inn is set in a flower garden that she has created and has a terrace with panoramic views of Crown Mountain. The rooms are fully equipped with shower, WiFi and other modern amenities.

She called the new inn “Sisters’ Flowers”. As the name suggests, it is run by Ya and her younger sister who both love flowers.

Ya welcomes her guests in traditional ethnic Nu costumes and pampers them with delicious local dishes made from vegetables from nearby fields. Often she also sings folk songs for them.

Their guest house became very popular through word of mouth and is now regularly receiving guests from big cities like Shanghai and Beijing.

Ya said she plans to expand her house and remodel rooms to accommodate guests.

She hasn’t stopped with her own success either. She has helped others in the village run guest houses and refer guests to them. During the five days May Day Vacation this year she received many groups of more than 50 tourists. Since the capacity of her inn was overloaded, she introduced them to other inns in the village.

Laomudeng benefits from political support and improved facilities and is thriving in tourism. In 2019 the village received more than 50,000 tourists and calculated more than 3 million yuan ($ 430,000).

Guesthouses in the village can offer around 400 beds and create more than 100 local jobs, quadrupling the average annual income of villagers over a decade.

“My greatest wish is to have a happy life with my villagers,” said the 50-year-old woman.

Remote village turns into a tourist hotspot
http://english.scio.gov.cn/chinavoices/2021-06/02/content_77542667.htm

SOURCE China SCIO