Visitors become entrepreneurs, discover opportunities in Yunnan | News

More and more travelers to southwest China’s Yunnan province are choosing to stay 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 Yunnan Provincial Committee of the Communist Party of China and deputy of the 14th National People’s Congress, China’s top legislature.
The province welcomed 53 million tourists during the Spring Festival holiday this year. Last year, about 5.5 million tourists, known locally as “sojourners,” chose to stay in Yunnan for more than two weeks, official statistics show.

“What even more delights us is that a growing number of people are settling in Yunnan to pursue entrepreneurship. Attracted by Yunnan’s unique charm, they strive 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 cherish pure dreams. The sea of ​​clouds on Ailao Mountain, the tea forests on Jingmai Mountain and the blue waves of Fuxian Lake, as well as the conversations at the fire pit, the smiling faces in the market and the mutual aid in the villages, all help people reconnect with their original dreams and the purpose with which they started,” he said.

Moreover, Yunnan’s scenic landscapes, beautiful scenery and rich culture are 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 revived by many young entrepreneurs in their workshops.

Wang added that Yunnan witnesses new changes every year, bringing new opportunities. In just three to four years, the province’s coffee industry output has grown from less than 10 billion yuan ($1.45 billion) to nearly 100 billion yuan. Many Yunnan residents have opened coffee shops, run coffee plantations and sold coffee via livestreaming.

Yunnan’s climate, which is neither very cold in winter nor unbearably hot in summer, is a huge draw and offers “great potential for health and wellness tourism and outdoor sports,” he added.

The province also has a unique geographical position as a border opening to South Asia and Southeast Asia. The China-Laos Railway reports high passenger and freight volumes.

“Anyone 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 expats looking for a mix of culture and business opportunities.

After a decade of fast-paced living in Shanghai, Zhang Yu and his wife moved to Dali, Yunnan, in 2019 because he believed that Dali, as a place where everyone was welcome, was diverse and inclusive and gave newcomers a strong sense of belonging, along with beautiful mountains, waters, ancient cities and ethnic customs.

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

“At first, we just wanted to cover our daily expenses. Later, we discovered that Yunnan has a very good business environment,” said Zhang.

Chen Yuxin stayed 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 she has hired many good local people and is regularly invited to tea parties organized by the local government to share resources and solve problems. Her business is growing fivefold every year.

“I met a British couple who had lived in Dali for a year. With their help, I promoted Yunnan coffee beans in London,” she added.

French traveler and chef 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 stewed with wild chanterelles in white wine.

“Food has helped me learn, adapt and integrate life in Yunnan. But my exploration of this country has only just begun,” he said.