Zhoushan ramps up efforts to boost homestay industry

The awarding ceremony of the 20 most beautiful local homestay inns in 2018 is held in Zhujiajian Island, Zhoushan, on Nov 14. [Photo/ zj.zjol.com]

A batch of 20 local homestay inns were selected as this year's most beautiful ones in Zhoushan at an awarding ceremony on Nov 14 on the city's Zhujiajian Island. 

The homestay inn appraisal activity, organized by the city's tourism committee, has taken place every year since 2015, as a response to the local government's action plan for boosting island tourism between 2015 and 2020. 

The city had developed 33 homestay villages by the end of 2017, housing 2,831 homestay inns with the number of staff reaching over 6,600. 

The homestay inns in the city received nearly 9.43 million tourists and generated revenue of more than $325 million in 2017, up 3.74 percent and 22.5 percent respectively, and accounting for 17.5 percent and 3.6 percent of the city's total in visitors and tourist revenue. 

According to the plan, the city will endeavor to enhance the quality of its homestay inns in the three years from 2018 to 2020, by integrating the homestay with the unique local cultures and characteristics and developing related supporting facilities. 

Specifically, it aims to build ten special homestay zones and 50 homestay villages with distinct island features in the three years, and foster 400 high-quality homestay inns. 

In addition, the city will next formulate an island homestay development plan to provide specific guidance for its homestay development.