A panoramic view of Kunting village in Ningbo's Beilun district. [Photo/cnnb.com.cn]

Kunting, a formerly backward village with poor access to transportation infrastructure, has now emerged as a popular rural tourism destination known for its homestays. 

The village, located in Ningbo's Beilun district, is composed of five economic cooperatives and has a registered population of 5,288 people.

The village's poor transportation connections with the outside world used to be a primary reason for poverty in the area.

However, the village has taken on a completely new look in recent years thanks to a slew of policies to support rural development in Zhejiang.

According to Liu Zhenchao, Party chief of the Shangliu cooperative, new roads have been built and the environment has been given a "facelift". 

Upon seeing the earthshattering transformation that Kunting had undergone, Xu Yongju, who used to reside in Shanghai, decided to return to her hometown and open a homestay in 2016.

Xu said that the homestay earns more than 70,000 yuan ($10,144.92) per year.

Liu Chuanbo, another resident of the village, followed in Xu's footsteps by transforming his house into a homestay.

His homestay opened just prior to the eight-day National Day holiday. “The scenery in Kunting is beautiful, and I believe my homestay will gradually become more popular.” 

In the meantime, local authorities have been working to take advantage of local tourism resources. A large number of scenic spots in the village, including Da'ao Mountain and Cherry Blossom Park, have become popular among visitors.

Official statistics show that Kunting is now home to 12 accommodation and agritainment facilities, which are capable of accommodating over 1,000 tourists. Last year, the village received more than 30,000 tourists, generating over 1 million yuan in income.