Chen Xiaoyu never expected that she could earn an income in her remote inland hometown comparable to what she made in a prosperous coastal city.

Chen, a native of Xichang in Sichuan province, returned to her hometown in 2018 after working for a decade in Guangzhou, Guangdong province. She rented a farmer's house in the city's Dashiban village and transformed it into a boutique homestay.

"My annual income from foreign trade in Guangzhou was around 4 million yuan ($550,000), and now running the homestay brings in about the same," she said.

Dashiban is a 600-year-old village located by Qionghai Lake. Once a bustling hub on ancient international trade routes of the Southern Silk Road and the Tea Horse Road, the village gradually declined after maritime transport replaced overland routes as the primary means of global trade.

Villagers relied mainly on farming and fishing, earning meager incomes. Many left to seek work elsewhere, leaving farmhouses and farmland abandoned.

Xichang launched a rural vitalization demonstration project in Dashiban in January 2021.

The village underwent protective restoration, adhering to the principle of "repairing the old as old" to preserve its historical charm. To attract visitors, the local government upgraded tourism infrastructure, incorporating local cultural elements and traditions to offer immersive experiences.

"The local government's renovation efforts dramatically improved the village's appearance, which has directly boosted my homestay business," Chen said, adding that her business has expanded to include cultural creativity, dining and ticket sales for nearby attractions.

The village's transformation has lured migrant workers back home to start businesses.

"When I first started my business here, there were hardly any young people in the village," Chen said. "Now, almost all of them have returned."

Xiao Wenfang, a Dashiban villager, quit her job in Chengdu, the provincial capital, to open a restaurant with her father in the village after learning about its changes.

"My family sold live fish in the past, now we sell specialty fish dishes," she said, adding that the tourism boom has fueled her restaurant's business, with annual revenue exceeding 2 million yuan last year.

Yin Jun, Party secretary of Dashiban community, said the village has shifted from traditional farming and fishing to tourism and wellness industries.

Ethnic-themed travel photography has emerged as one of the most popular offerings in the multi-ethnic village, following homestays and restaurants, he said.

"Numerous studios provide a range of Han, Yi, Tibetan, Miao and Lisu ethnic costumes," Yin said. "On holidays, many tourists gather to adorn themselves in traditional garments, immersing in the rich cultural experience and capturing memories amidst the village's breathtaking scenery."

Dashiban now has 232 homestays, 85 restaurants and 65 travel photography studios. It received 1.9 million visitors last year, generating 900 million yuan in tourism revenue, he said.

"Tourism has become the village's pillar industry, creating jobs for over 1,000 villagers and increasing per capita income by more than 10,000 yuan in the past four years," Yin added.

He said the village plans to build a 13.3-hectare "seed paradise" on its outskirts to offer visitors more agri-tourism experiences.

Dashiban has also become a hot spot for senior travelers seeking extended stays. Beijing native Liu Meiqing, who began traveling after retirement, came to experience the village after hearing about it. "The environment here is wonderful. I don't ever want to leave," she said.

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