Innovative use of resources brings change to southern Hainan

To lift Baoting's economic and social development, the Hainan provincial government and Baoting county accelerated a diversification of the local industrial make-up and made the growth of tourism and agriculture a priority, according to Jiang Liping, a member of the Standing Committee and publicity minister of the Baoting Li and Miao Autonomous County Committee of the Communist Party of China.

"By taking advantage of Baoting's unique tourism resources, including its tropical rainforests, the county government worked out a development path that highlights greenness, openness and sharing concepts for nearby villages," Jiang said.

She said the new mode closely integrates tourism with rural development.

Residents of Zajin village, less than 1 km from the Binlanggu 5A tourism zone, used to live in low, shabby, thatched houses with no running water or electricity. They made a living mainly by growing rice, areca, rubber and vegetables. In 2009, annual per capita net income was only 2,170 yuan.

Now all the 208 villagers have moved into Li-style villas built with supporting funds from the local government. Many villagers have found jobs in tourism-related services. Nearly half of their income is now earned in the tourism sector. In 2019, average per capita income in Zajin reached 16,500 yuan, according to the village committee.

"It's hard to find young people idling away their time all day long drinking, fighting or gambling in the villages as before," said Dong Yadao, an official with the village committee.

"Inclusive rural tourism development has created more business opportunities for villagers in those once poverty stricken rural communities."

He said local residents took a "wait-and-see" attitude toward village affairs before. But now people are very active and neighborhood relations are also in good harmony.