A picturesque location surrounded by desert and water, the city has also been attracting an increasing number of tourists from home and abroad. More than 6 million visits were made last year and tourism revenue totaled over 5.3 billion yuan ($763 million), according to local statistics.

The increase in tourism has provided more job opportunities for the villagers, with men typically employed at the scenic spots and women running homestay businesses.

According to He Tianbao, former Party chief of the village, 51 households are running homestays, and the annual per capita disposable income of villagers reached 24,000 yuan last year.

About 40 villagers, including Tong Jinding and Tong Facai, continue to work as raftsmen at the scenic spot.

Apart from his full-time job as a raftsman, Tong Jinding also runs homestay with his wife. Their 70 rooms are often fully booked, especially during the summer holidays, generating an annual income of nearly 300,000 yuan.

"Thanks to the Yellow River and the desert, we now make a living from tourism. It's busy in the peak tourist season, and then we can enjoy our lives for the rest of the year," Tong Jinding said.

Xinhua