A different view
The minsu option
Taste of countryside life found in Shanghai outskirts
To most people, the general impression of Shanghai is that of a megacity filled with modern, towering skyscrapers that are illuminated by a stunning array of neon lights come nightfall. The streets in the city are notoriously busy, and are often flanked by the glitzy shop fronts of luxury brands.
The word tranquillity is unlikely to be used to describe the city. The same can be said for the term “bed and breakfast”. After all, Shanghai is not known as a countryside destination.
But this could soon change, with Chinesestyle bed and breakfast businesses, also known as minsu, sprouting up in districts on the outskirts of Shanghai to provide travelers and weary city dwellers a different experience of the city.
The development of minsu in China first started as privately owned guesthouses around tourist sites. But because there are no well-known tourist sites in Shanghai’s countryside areas, minsu in the city are limited to the water town of Zhujiajiao in Qingpu district, the beach area in Jinshan district, the Chuansha area where Disneyland is, and Chongming Island.
Ban Ri Xian, named after an ancient Chinese poem, is located on the idyllic Chongming Island in northwest Shanghai. This farm-style minsu offers guests the chance to experience rural life through activities such as planting rice seedlings, picking fruit, harvesting vegetables as well as fishing and watching birds.
Business has been brisk. Ban Ri Xian is always fully booked during the weekends, either by families or corporate team building groups.
The minsu, which is owned by Liu Haiqing, 45, has been singled out by the officials of the local Gangxi township as an exemplar of “rural vitalization” that others could follow. This rural vitalization strategy, proposed by President Xi Jinping at the 19th National Congress of the CPC a year ago, forms part of China’s efforts to boost the development of rural areas through tourism.
“Minsu can link many things together,” said Kang Qian, deputy head of Gangxi.
“It can incorporate experience programs, dining and other activities that would make tourists stay and spend.”
Among those working at this minsu is Xing Haiyan, a Chongming native who previously worked in a marketing firm in downtown Shanghai.
“I took up this job because I wanted to show people what countryside life is like. I grew up on a farm so I know the joys of living in such an environment,” said Xing, whose job involves organizing activities such as one-day family programs at the farm.
Xing is also in charge of the social media accounts, and it was through this medium that Geng Lijun discovered Ban Ri Xian. Geng, who has lived in downtown Shanghai all her life, loved the environment so much that she visited the minsu several times last year. These short getaways were also a good way for her son to learn things outside the classroom, she said.
“Time seems to pass more slowly when you’re in the countryside. I feel like I can ponder about life and think about what I want to pursue.”
Xing does not plan on being an employee for the rest of her life; she plans to set up her own farm-style minsu by the end of this year. The planned 15-room building would occupy two hectares of land. With local authorities striving to transform Chongming into a world-class ecological island, Xing is optimistic about her business venture because she expects more tourists to visit.
“I also want to inspire other farmers to renovate their own houses to a minsu. It will help them earn extra money in addition to the income they get from farming.”
Another area where more and more such businesses are emerging is in eastern Shanghai, near the Disneyland Resort. Since the theme park opened in 2016 many nearby villagers have transformed their houses into bed and breakfast establishments to provide an alternative to the pricey hotel rooms at Disneyland. As part of efforts to regulate the growing market, the Pudong New Area government issued guidelines regarding the development of such businesses in 2016. Authorities issued the city’s first minsu business license last year.
Su Yu, a minsu project in Lianmin village, was the first recipient of this license.
But instead of just branding itself as a cheaper accommodation alternative for Disneyland goers, Su Yu offers a range of activities for its guests, such as farming, pizza-making, pottery workshops and painting classes.
This project is run by Minzhu Fuxiang Minsu Culture, a joint venture between a minsu operator, a real estate company, a collectiveowned enterprise of Lianmin village and a fund.
Zhou Hao, a public relations assistant for the project, said the joint venture company managed to get households involved in the project to agree on an annual rental fee ranging from 36,000 yuan to 150,000 yuan ($5,400 to 22,300). It then helped each family design their homes according to a unique theme. Six themed houses are available.
In addition to helping boost the incomes of villagers, the project generated more jobs as each venue would require chefs, security personnel and cleaners. Wang Guanlun, chief executive of the project, said during Shanghai International Minsu Conference in June last year that the project injected vitality into the village.
“When I first came to the village, I could barely see young people. Now, many young people have returned to the village to work. It is these changes I see that make me proud.”
We see great potential in China’s market. Young people born in the 1980s and 90s have a high acceptance for home-sharing, and they account for 80 percent of our customers.”
Xu Weiwan
director of the Shanghai Municipal Tourism Administration
Wang Ying, who works as a conductor for the district’s bus company, echoed that life in Lianmin village has indeed become more vibrant.
“Since Su Yu opened last year more visitors have definitely arrived. Our family has considered renting out our houses to the company, but we’ll wait and see how it goes.”
But while the move to regulate the market may be music to the ears of consumers, it has not been poorly received by some bed and breakfast operators.
“Our business has suddenly become illegal because of the introduction of licenses,” said a woman who runs three home-stay properties in Pudong. “We don’t dare advertise anymore.”
It is difficult to obtain a business license because only registered companies can do so, she said, and becoming a registered company requires a certain amount of capital that many people lack.
The woman also lamented the costs needed to ensure that each
minsu meets government regulations regarding safety standards.
“Having to meet all these standards drives up costs, thus reducing profitability. The development of the minsu industry needs standards, but there also needs to be some support from the government.”
Xu Weiwan, director of the Shanghai Municipal Tourism Administration told the Shanghai news website Eastday that the city is monitoring the development of two pilot districts, Pudong and Jinshan, which have introduced minsu licenses and guidelines.
These regions have already published the guidelines and issued 10 licenses, Xu and these projects are usually fully-booked during weekends and holidays.
Over at Fengshou village in Minhang district, a tourism project which includes many minsu projects, was due to open in August, Shanghai Observer reported.
Airbnb, the US home-sharing platform, told China Daily that it has seen a big increase in the number of shared B&B homes and guests over the past few years.
“Outside Shanghai’s downtown area, Songjiang and Chongming districts have registered a major increase in the number of people using our service. We see great potential in China’s market. Young people born in the 1980s and 90s have a high acceptance for homesharing, and they account for 80 percent of our customers,” Xu said.
A report on home-sharing published by the State Information Center in May said about 3 million
minsu were registered online in the country last year, with the transaction amount totaling 14.5 billion yuan, up 70 percent from 2016. The number of shared-homes in rural areas would double, and the market would be worth an estimated 50 billion yuan in 2020, the report said.