Red lanterns line the narrow lanes of Luotuowan village in Fuping, Hebei province as Spring Festival approaches. Visitors sip hot tea in stone courtyards, warmed by underfloor heating, an unimaginable luxury here just a decade ago.

Once one of China's poorest villages, it has been transformed by an unlikely engine of growth: homestays.

Before 2012, poor roads, barren land, and a lack of jobs pushed most young people to leave. Today, more than 130 village households run guesthouses, offering over 300 beds to tourists seeking cool summers, quiet winters, and a glimpse of rural life in the Taihang Mountains.

Bai Long, who spent years working in Beijing, returned in 2017 after local authorities encouraged villagers to develop rural tourism. He turned his family courtyard into a homestay and later began promoting it through livestreaming.

"Now people find us online," Bai said. "They come to see how the village has changed."

The impact has been tangible. According to local officials, annual tourist visits exceed 500,000, helping raise the average per capita income from under 1,000 yuan ($140) in 2012 to more than 28,000 yuan by 2025.

For 78-year-old Sun Zhenze, opening a six-room homestay meant staying close to home while earning a stable income. "In summer, guests stay for weeks to escape the heat," he said.

More young people are now returning, opening restaurants, managing homestays, and selling local produce online. This Spring Festival, many homestays are nearly fully booked.

"People used to leave for the holiday," Bai said. "Now, they come here."