Village in Hainan opens up to a tourism-led economic transformation

The garden view sidewalk of Shamei village, Bo'ao, Hainan. [Photo: China Plus/Ge Anna]

The 30th anniversary of Hainan's status as a province and a special economic zone is just around corner. Thanks to support from both Beijing and local governments, villages in the province are going through an economic transformation. 

Shamei is a coastal village located 4.5 kilometers south of the Permanent Site of the Bo'ao Forum for Asia. Facing the Shamei basin, the village is blessed with thick forests and lush hillside scenery. 

The beautiful scenery of Shamei village, Bo'ao, Hainan. [Photo: China Plus/Ge Anna]

Its natural advantages make Shamei village an ideal spot for a local tourism industry to develop. But a lack of infrastructure left the village disconnected from the surrounding region. That has been changing over the last five years under a local initiative called the Beautiful Countryside Project. 

The beautiful scenery of Shamei village, Bo'ao, Hainan. [Photo: China Plus/Ge Anna]

The project has helped integrate the village into the region, which in turn has allowed it to capitalize on its potential as a tourist destination. As a result, new jobs have been created. And some of the young people, who had left what was a poor remote village for higher paying jobs in the cities, are returning to Shamei. 

The ancestral temple of Shamei village, Bo'ao, Hainan. [Photo: China Plus/Ge Anna]

As a local businessperson put it, "The Beautiful Countryside Project has created a beautiful future for me. I hope everyone can come and enjoy beautiful Shamei and beautiful Hainan."  

New houses belonging to villagers in Shamei village, Bo'ao, Hainan. [Photo: China Plus/Ge Anna]

New houses belonging to villagers in Shamei village, Bo'ao, Hainan. [Photo: China Plus/Ge Anna]