Visitors become entrepreneurs, discover opportunities in Yunnan

More and more travelers to Southwest China's Yunnan province are choosing to stay there longer and longer, and run their own businesses, attracted by the province's distinctive industries and comfortable living environment, said Wang Ning, secretary of the Communist Party of China Yunnan Provincial Committee and a deputy to the 14th National People's Congress, China's top legislature.

The province welcomed 53 million tourist visits during this year's Spring Festival holiday. Over the past year, about 5.5 million tourists, known as "sojourners" locally, have chosen to stay in Yunnan for more than two weeks at a time, official statistics showed.

"What delights us even more is that a growing number of people are settling in Yunnan to pursue entrepreneurship. Attracted by Yunnan's unique charm, they aspire for a better life," Wang said, adding that Yunnan's charm lies in its "purity, beauty, novelty and uniqueness".

"Pure nature nourishes simple hearts, which nurture pure dreams. The sea of clouds on Ailao Mountain, the tea forests in Jingmai Mountain and the blue waves of Fuxian Lake, as well as the conversations by the fire pit, the smiling faces at the market and the mutual help in the villages, all help people reconnect with their original dreams and the very purpose they started with," he said.

Besides, Yunnan's picturesque landscapes, magnificent scenery and rich culture provide an endless source of inspiration for entrepreneurs, he said. Time-honored crafts, such as the Yi embroidery of Chuxiong, the purple pottery of Jianshui and the silverware of Heqing, have been revitalized by many young entrepreneurs at their workshops.

Wang added that every year Yunnan witnesses new changes that bring new opportunities. In just three to four years, the output of the province's coffee industry has grown from less than 10 billion yuan ($1.45 billion) to nearly 100 billion yuan. Many sojourners in Yunnan have gone on to open coffee shops, run coffee plantations and sell coffee via livestreaming.

Yunnan's climate, which is neither severely cold in winter nor unbearably hot in summer, is a huge draw, "offering great potential for the health and wellness tourism and outdoor sports", he added.

The province also occupies a unique geographical location as a frontier opening up to South Asia and Southeast Asia. The China-Laos Railway has been reporting large passenger and cargo volumes.

"Everyone with a dream and the courage to explore can find their own place in Yunnan," Wang said.

In recent years, the province has become a magnet for entrepreneurs and expatriates seeking a blend of culture and business opportunities.

After 10 years of the fast pace in Shanghai, Zhang Yu and his wife moved to Dali in Yunnan in 2019, as he believed that as a place welcoming all, Dali was diverse, inclusive and gave newcomers a strong sense of belonging, along with beautiful mountains, waters, ancient towns and ethnic customs.

In April that year, the couple rented a courtyard near Dali Ancient City and converted it into an apartment with rooms available for renting. Their business later expanded to eight courtyards and about 100 rooms, each equipped with a kitchen, stove and refrigerator.

"In the beginning, we just wanted to cover our daily expenses. Later, we found that Yunnan has a very good business environment," Zhang said.

Chen Yuxin used to sojourn in Dali every year while working in Beijing. In 2023, she moved the headquarters of her company, Wonder Wander Coffee, to Dali to better connect with the source of the products.

Chen said that she has hired many good locals, and is invited to tea parties hosted by the local government routinely to share resources and solve problems. Her company has been growing fivefold every year.

"I met a British couple who had sojourned in Dali for a year. With their help, I'm promoting Yunnan coffee beans in London," she added.

French traveler and cook Vincent Aguesse has lived in Kunming, the provincial capital, since 2015, married a local woman and opened a French restaurant.

For him, Yunnan's wild mushrooms are the most unique gift of the land and climate. Every August and September, he combines fresh wild mushrooms with French cooking techniques to create fusion dishes, including chicken braised with wild chanterelles in white wine.

"Food has helped me get to know, adapt to and integrate into life in Yunnan. But my exploration of this land has only just begun," he said.

Yan Yujie contributed to this story.

Contact the writers at chenmeiling@chinadaily.com.cn