Three Dai villages jointly boost rural tourism and study tours in Yunnan

(ECNS) -- A rural tourism cluster comprising three Dai ethnic villages in Jinghong City, southwest China's Yunnan Province, is revitalizing the local economy through coordinated development, according to a recent visit by a media team taking part in the 2026 "Civilized China" reporting campaign.

The three villages — Man Kongdai, Man Luanzhan and Man Kongmai — are collectively known as "Sanman." The name combines "San," the Chinese word for three, with "Man," which means village in the Dai language.

Located in Menghan Town, the three villages are home to 140 households and a total population of 679. Historically, they developed independently, resulting in fragmented resources and a relatively weak economic foundation.

In 2023, local authorities launched a joint Party-building initiative and invited a planning team from China Agricultural University to help guide the villages' development.

Each village now serves a distinct function. Man Kongdai focuses on intangible cultural heritage experiences, offering activities such as traditional Dai papermaking, pottery-making and palm-leaf scripture carving. Man Luanzhan has developed a cluster of health and wellness homestays, while Man Kongmai provides sports and leisure facilities.

The cluster now has 20 homestay buildings offering 81 rooms and 113 beds. Fifteen of the buildings were converted from existing village homes. Supporting facilities include a conference center, a shared kitchen, a traditional Dai medicine clinic and an outdoor swimming pool.

A dedicated village CEO has been appointed to oversee operations, while a shareholding cooperative has also been established. Villagers can contribute their homes as investments or work for wages, with profits distributed among participating households and the village collective.

Yu Guangbao, Party branch secretary of the village committee, said the cluster generated 2.667 million yuan (about $371,000) in revenue in 2025. It created employment opportunities for 43 households and raised per capita disposable income to 38,000 yuan (about $5,290). All 140 households received annual dividends.

The model has attracted visits from foreign diplomats and representatives of international cities. Local authorities are now working to expand the initiative to neighboring villages.

(By Tang Yuxian)