XINJIANG, Aug. 27 (INP): Home Tourism Business is getting popular  among Uyghur families as new earning source. Monthly earnings average around RMB 10,000 rising to RMB 25,000-30,000 during the tourist season, it was observed by a Pakistani delegation that is currently on a visit to China, according to a report carried by Gwadar Pro on Tuesday. Globally, home tourism, as part of the sharing economy, represents a socio-economic ecosystem built around the sharing of human, physical, and intellectual resources. The delegation, titled "China Tour for Pakistan Media and Think Tank 2024," enjoyed a diverse array of homemade delicacies, offered by a local family who is successfully running Home Tourism Business. 

Dishes included dry fruits, fresh fruits, tea, and ice cream, all served on a large table in the spacious courtyard.  The courtyard, shaded by grapevines with aromatic branches, provided a serene setting.  The Uyghur hosts also gave the delegates a tour of their home, allowing them to appreciate the historical interior, the decoration of the living rooms, and the texture of the walls, doors, and arches.

All the services provided to the media delegation were complimentary, courtesy of the Khalida family.  However, Khalida explained that she regularly engages in "home tourism," a growing trend in the Kazanqi area, also known as the sharing economy. By operating her home commercially, she earns a reasonable income. Ms. Farida, the hostess's daughter, explained, "Our house is part of the ‘home tourism’ business, which has recently become popular in Kazanqi. 

It allows us to earn extra money to cover family expenses effectively."  Speaking with confidence, she shared that their monthly earnings average around RMB 10,000 rising to RMB 25,000-30,000 during the tourist season.  She noted that out of the approximately 2,000 Uyghur families living in Kazanqi, 88 are involved in the home tourism business.

Home tourism is part of a budding entrepreneurial trend in many parts of China, where people transform their homes into temporary restaurants or guesthouses, offering culturally rich, homemade food at low cost. When asked about her background, Farida mentioned that she is graduated from the University of International Business and Economics with a major in English and is now engaged in foreign trade in Guangzhou. 

She emphasized the Uyghurs' deep-rooted hospitality and their commitment to making every guest feel at home. Home tourism, also known as the sharing economy, offers tourists unique benefits that commercial hotels can't match.  Through home tourism, visitors, including both Chinese tourists from different provinces and foreigners, immerse themselves in Yining culture, enjoy traditional meals, and have the opportunity to learn about local culture, religion, and daily life.  They also get to experience living 'like a local' while saving money.

Students interested in studying the Uyghur language find home sharing particularly appealing and cost-effective.  During their stay, they engage daily life, learning the basic dialect, tune, and tone of the language as spoken by the locals.  "Take a bite and savor the soft, warm ‘Naan’ (local bread baked in a traditional oven)," smiled Ms. Kahlida, a Uyghur Muslim from Yining, as she welcomed a 9-member delegation from Pakistan to her home on Kazanqi Ethnic Culture Street in Yining, the former capital of Xinjiang. 

"This experience offers a glimpse of the warmth and hospitality of the Uyghur Muslims here," she added. "Naan is an integral part of our daily cuisine," she continued, "and we proudly serve it to our dearest guests and tourists alongside other traditional dishes."  Accompanied by her husband, Qurban Ali, she demonstrated the process of preparing and baking fluffy naan to the Pakistani media delegates.

Credit: Independent News Pakistan (INP) — Pak-China