Homestay housekeepers, encouraged by the thriving expansion of the rural tourism industry in recent years, are constituting a growing workforce in China, injecting new vitality into the country's rural revitalization drive.
As a qualified housekeeper at a homestay in Bohai Township in Beijing, Liu Huimin, not only offers customized services related to lodging, catering and tourism guidance, but also excels in skills, such as coffee making and flower arrangement that are popular among young people. Furthermore, she has a good understanding of marketing, advertising, and management.
"Some booking platforms for homestays that we are familiar with have been introduced. We use the list of over 80 operations on them to standardize and enhance the facilities and services of our homestay," said Liu.
Now, her efforts have attracted more customers to the village and have brought tangible benefits to the villagers.
"Since Huimin and her entrepreneurial team commenced operations in the village, they shared 50,000 yuan (about 6,980 U.S. dollars) in profits with the village collective within the first year of operation," said Wang Tianyu, head of the publicity department of Bohai Township.
In 2022, the updated version of China's official reference book on occupations recognized homestay housekeepers as a new occupation.
According to data from a human resources platform, the recruitment number for homestay housekeepers increased by 8 percent in 2023 over the previous year.
In February 2024, a national occupational standard for the emerging profession, which includes a five-grade vocational skills grading system for skilled workers, was released by the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security along with the Ministry of Culture and Tourism.
Experts say this not only makes the new profession more standardized, but also attracts more outstanding talents to join the industry.
"Well-educated young people are bringing innovation, vitality and even diverse resources to rural areas. They will also attract more young individuals to establish roots in rural areas and that ultimately fosters cultural and talent rejuvenation in these regions," explained Long Fei, deputy secretary general of China Travel Agents Association.
New careers inject vitality into China's rural revitalization
Macao has been emerging as a global hub for conventions and exhibitions in recent years by exploring the enormous opportunities in the sector, driving the region to advance its economic diversification and embrace a brighter future.
Macao has received many awards this year, such as the Best Convention City (Asia) and the Best BT-MICE City, showcasing the recognition for and influence of Macao's exhibition industry.
More than 1,000 electronic game enthusiasts from all over the world gathered recently in Macao to participate in a esports themed event.
Su Zhili, organizer of the event, said that Macao's rich experience in hosting large-scale events, coupled with its good infrastructure, has driven him to choose the region as an ideal destination to hold such an activity.
"Macao has held many similar large-scale events. It has rich experience, and the facilities at the venue are relatively mature, so we can start our work comfortably," said Su.
During the first three quarters of 2024, Macao held more than 1,000 conferences and exhibitions in total.
"We will invite more professional, special conferences to be held in Macao and also cultivate more exhibition brands with international influence in Macao, so as to promote Macao's exhibitions to be more market-oriented, professional, international, digital and greener from various aspects. This is our goal," said Elaine Wong, member of the Macao Commerce and Investment Promotion Institute.
In addition, multiple large exhibitions and conferences, such as the Macao International Trade and Investment fair, the Macao Franchise Expo, and the International Infrastructure Investment and Construction Forum, are held regularly in Macao.
With the introduction of a series of policies and measures to facilitate the exchanges between the mainland and Macao, as well as the construction and development of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area and the Guangdong-Macao In-Depth Cooperation Zone in Hengqin, Macao's convention and exhibition industry will embrace more opportunities for development in the foreseeable future.
"We have such a good industrial base in the Greater Bay Area. The mode of 'Convention and Exhibition + Industry' not only integrates the industries of Macao, but also the industries of the Greater Bay Area. In addition, Macao actively integrates into the national development and plays a role in the Belt and Road. Why are we so confident in Macao's convention and exhibition sector? Because it is backed by the motherland, and the country gives Macao great support," said Alan Ho, chairman of the Macao Association of Convention, Exhibition and Tourism Sectors.
Macao emerges as global hub for conventions and exhibitions, driving economic diversification and international recognition
