Hainan's Changjiang develops rural tourism in remote Li town

"Before last year, our village was too remote to sell any coconuts, but now my monthly income from renting out the four rooms in my house is 5,000 to 6,000 yuan ($783 to $941)," said Lin Deqiang, a homestay owner in Sanpai village, Wangxia town, Changjiang Li autonomous county, Hainan province, when talking about the changes in his hometown.

Wangxia is located in the hinterlands of Bawangling National Forest Park in Hainan. Due to inconvenient transportation and weak infrastructure, it was once the remotest and poorest town in Changjiang.

In recent years, the town has been working to develop eco-tourism and rural tourism, relying on its unique natural resources and the distinct culture of the Li ethnic group.

In 2019, Changjiang launched construction on "Lihuali" cultural tourism town in Wangxia, according to Sun Jing, deputy director of the rural revitalization bureau of Changjiang Li autonomous county.

After years of development, Wangxia has realized a historic transformation, going from an impoverished mountainous area to a unique tourist destination and a model for rural revitalization. Since May 2020, Wangxia has received about 150,000 tourists, and its tourism revenue has exceeded 9 million yuan.