Qianduo town in Xinghua, Jiangsu province, has partnered up with Xinghua Culture and Tourism Company to launch a campaign that combines homestays with visits to scenic spots, aiming to boost tourist traffic and address challenges such as the summer off-season and competition among similar offerings.
The town features 64 homestays with a total of 624 rooms and is home to attractions such as the Qianduo Scenic Area, Lizhong Water Forest, Caoyangang Ruins and Xuma Wetland. In the first half of 2026, it recorded over 1.2 million visits.
A first step in this campaign occurred in April when the town hosted a river snail-themed food carnival, which attracted more than 6,000 visitors and generated over 200,000 yuan ($29,550) in revenue.
An aerial view of Dongluo village in Qianduo town. [Photo/WeChat account: xinghuafabu]
The town has promoted differentiated development among villages: Dongluo focuses on intangible cultural heritage and outdoor experiences, Xuwei on family-friendly agritourism, and Caowang on study tours.
As part of this effort, Caowang village has opened a new 57-room facility that has welcomed more than 3,000 visits in its first six weeks.
Qianduo town has also established tourism and homestay associations and is rolling out a digital management system. It plans to build a homestay cluster and design a full tourism route.