Blooming lotus flowers inject vitality, attraction into nascent rural tourism with handsome revenues

A vast range of 110,000 mu (about 7,333 hectares) of blooming lotus flowers have shaped a spectacular and magnificent scenery in Guangchang County of east China's Jiangxi Province, injecting notable vitality and attraction to the nascent rural tourism which ushered in numerous visitors and handsome revenues.

In Yaoxi village, flocks of tourists have come to enjoy the nice-looking lotus flowers. In the first half of this year, the village has received 100,000 tourists and earned 800,000 yuan (114,285 U.S. dollars) of tourism revenues through selling scenic spot tickets.

"I feel good to see so many eye-catching and nice-looking flowers and green plants. As people nowadays are putting up with great pressure from daily routine work and life, it's a suitable place for them to relax and enjoy here," said Chen Xiudan, a tourist.

Villager Yao Shanghai has planted over seven mu (about 0.47 hectares) of lotus flowers and he renovated his houses into a homestay. Every July and August, his ten-room homestay is wholly booked in advance. He also sells lotus seeds and seedpods of the lotus in scenic spot every day, earning 200 yuan to 300 yuan (about 30.9 to 46.4 U.S. dollars) every day.

"I develop homestay by myself and also do some farm work. I feel good about getting employed at home," said Yao.