A camping base in Kaihui Town, Changsha County, central China's Hunan Province. (Photo: VCG)
Bandcang was renamed Kaihui because it is the birthplace of Yang Kaihui. In recent years, tourism in Kaihui Town has become increasingly popular. In 2017, the number of tourists exceeded two million, with income brought by tourism reaching more than 100 million yuan.
Located in the north of Changsha County, Kaihui Town is at the intersection of Changsha, Pingjiang and Miluo counties. Connected by the Beijing-Zhuhai expressway, this town is just 30 kilometers away from Changsha.
It has built the first outdoor camping base in Changsha, including various activity areas such as a wetland landscape area, a camping area, a wooden house area, an RV area and a leisure area.
Tourists can enjoy lakeside camping, cycling, barbecue, hot air balloon rides and other activities. With its fascinating scenery, Kaihui was selected last year as a cultural and tourist town of Hunan, crowned a "romantic town and now has become a famous holiday resort.
Green ecology, red culture and specialty industries are well-integrated here.
Kaihui was the spot where Chairman Mao Zedong engaged in revolutionary activities in the early days of the Chinese Revolution. It is also the hometown of Yang Kaihui, Mao's wife. The town boasts pleasant rural scenery and important red tourism spots.
Poverty alleviation has been promoted and many companies have been introduced to assist poor households. In addition, various poverty reduction projects concerning bread and breakfast (B&B), breeding and fruit-selling have achieved notable results.
The homestays in Kaihui, established on local land, have developed on a large scale, and there are more than 120 rooms in Xifu village. The “homestay plus” industry, which focuses on “tourism and poverty alleviation” and “village tourism assisting rural revitalization”, is booming, promoting the local tourism industry and achieving common prosperity for residents.
In 2018, Kaihui attracted 2.38 million tourists, and tourism-related income exceeded 110 million yuan. The fruit cultivation has reached 8153 mu (5.43 square kilometers), with annual income reaching about 50 million yuan. Villas, huts, tents, recreational vehicles (RVs) and B&Bs are emerging in Kaihui. Rural resorts with campsites, characteristic villages and scenic spots are presented in different forms of accommodation products.
In Kaihui, the growth of homestay reflects the creativity of the people. According to the overall decoration design plan, the exterior walls, external slopes, roads and hydropower pipelines were uniformly remodeled, and the appliances and furniture were equipped. Ancillary facilities like stopping pads, public toilets, and bikeways have been constantly improved.
The design and construction were invested by Huirun Company, while villagers only need to pay a small fraction of renovation costs.
At present, three major residential areas - namely Yujiadong, Daming Lake and Xintaoyuan - have been formed in Xifu village. There are 21 homestays with a total of 108 rooms. The standardized construction, conscientious management and friendly service all provide tourists an opportunity to taste the traditional cuisine and enjoy comforts.
The newly developed homestay buildings introduced advanced technology from Australia. For example, sewage systems can deal with domestic sewage, chemical fertilizers and kitchen waste. The development of the homestay industry has been advanced without destroying natural beauty. In this case, the elements of traditional residence and modern homestays are combined in a harmonious way, promoting the coordinated development of the homestay economy and ecological civilization.
At present, Kaihui has received more than 300,000 visitors from home and abroad. The traditional village has been built into a resort where tourists can enjoy the natural scenery and nostalgia. Every farmhouse here tells its own unique story.
