A winter haven for Siberian swans

With thousands of whooper swans enjoying their winter time at the fishing village of Yandunjiao in Rongcheng, Shandong province, Yu Haiyang has no time to appreciate the graceful scene as he is greeting his homestay guests.

Under the seaweed-thatched roof, the 35-year-old homestay owner aims to offer his guests an authentic and heartfelt experience, serving homemade meals crafted from local ingredients and providing a brief respite from urban living.

"Winter is the peak season for tourists, who come to enjoy the harmonious scene between human and swans," Yu says, adding that the potential in tourism is promising as the village has been gaining in popularity.

Through the e-commerce platforms, he sells local specialties such as homemade shrimp sauce to customers nationwide.

Having a history going back more than 400 years, Yandunjiao has abundant marine resources and a temperate climate that offers a cozy winter haven for whooper swans. Tens of thousands of whooper swans migrate from Siberia to the village to spend the winter, adding a bit of vibrancy to the bleak season. It is a national nature reserve for swans.

The swans not only add beauty to the scenery, but also help the village earn a reputation of being one of the best locations for bird-watching. For Qu Rongxue, who opened the first homestay in the village in 2000, Yandunjiao has been changed because of the swans. With tourism as the main income for the villagers, Qu has witnessed the stunning transformation as the roads widened and the environment improved.

Accompanying the swans are tourists and photography enthusiasts from various places. Then new businesses, including homestays, restaurants, cafes and photo studios, came up. Last year, Yandunjiao attracted 500,000 visitors, who generated a revenue of nearly 20 million yuan ($2.77 million), according to official statistics.

Over the past years, to protect the habitat of swans, the local government has taken various measures, including dredging the lake and restoring the seaweed ecological system.

wangqian@chinadaily.com.cn