Ctrip CEO Sun Jie: Women hold up more than half of the sky for the revitalization of rural tourism

For the tourism industry, women are the main consumers and the main producers. According to the "Global Women's Participation in Tourism Report" released by the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) in 2019, the proportion of female employees in the tourism industry reached 54%. As an industry representative, Ctrip Group, as of the end of 2021, female employees accounted for nearly 60%, and women at mid-level and senior levels accounted for more than 40%. They work in cities and rural areas around the world.

“Women hold up more than half of the sky for the revitalization of rural tourism,” said Sun Jie, CEO of Ctrip Group. Since the country launched the "rural revitalization" strategy in an all-round way, Ctrip has responded positively and officially launched the "rural tourism revitalization" plan in March 2021. Currently, 8 holiday farms have been launched. Among the farm employees, more are from the local area, and 70% of them are female employees, who shoulder various front-line, logistics, and management positions.

They have a job at home

Wang Mei, a room attendant at Jinzhai Dawan Store in Anhui, is 53 years old. Before joining the farm, she worked as a tea packager in a tea factory. Due to the seasonal nature of tea cultivation, it only works in spring every year. These three years are the time when the child is studying in college. In addition to the annual tuition of about 10,000 yuan, he also needs 2,000 yuan per month for living expenses. Job insecurity puts pressure on families.

In July 2021, Xiedu Fake Farm Anhui Jinzhai Dawan store officially opened. Aunt Wang, who lives nearby, has long noticed this "very different" building. When the farm was being prepared, she was among the first to apply for jobs. After becoming a member of the farm, Aunt Wang Mei has a stable job from 8 a.m. to 5 a.m. with better salary and better working environment. Every time she talks about her current situation with her old sisters, Aunt Wang Mei smiles happily.

Gu Yanxiu, 26, who works as a financial officer at Linzhou Shibanyan Store in Anyang, Henan, is a native of Linzhou Shibanyan Town. After graduating from university in 2016, she always wanted to return to the town to take care of her family, but There were no suitable jobs in the town at that time, so Yan Xiu had no choice but to go to a big city farther away from home.

In December 2021, the farm was officially put into operation. After seeing the social recruitment, she immediately submitted her resume and was responsible for the accounting operations of the entire farm. In addition to the location being closer to home, the work content is also more comprehensive than before. It was richer and more fulfilling before. Since joining the company three months ago, after finishing work every day, I can go home and have a meal with my family. This seemingly unremarkable day is Yan Xiu’s source of happiness every day.

They got a stage to shine

27-year-old Long Shuangshuang is the deputy store manager of Changsha Xunlonghe Joint Store. The quality of this store is well-received. The number of customers is often several times that of employees. "Very busy" is everyone's working norm. Shuangshuang is a deputy store manager who "wears many hats" and has never set boundaries for herself. She supports wherever she is busy at the front desk, kitchen, and guest rooms.

Since the shop assistants are generally older and the younger Shuangshuang knows more about the Internet, she takes the lead in operations. The annual Xunlong River Cherry Blossom Festival is a time for Shuangshuang to show off her talents. She has the "domineering" character of a typical Hunan girl. Things that others cannot win are not a big deal to her. In her words, "Just look away and do it."

Li Qingyan works as a room steward at Xiaoyoudongtian Joint Store in Jiyuan, Henan. This is a relatively simple job, but Qingyan gives it higher responsibilities and values.

Qingyan was born in Jiyuan and grew up listening to the story of Foolish Old Man Who Moved the Mountains. Wangwu Mountain, where the farm is located, is not only the hometown of Yu Gong, but also a sacred place for Chinese Taoist culture. Li Qingyan has a deep understanding of the local culture. Whenever a guest checks in, she always spares no effort to introduce the hotel, so that the guests can not only enjoy the beautiful scenery, but also linger on the culture of Wangwushan. Li Qingyan said that she is "Wangwushan's unofficial publicity ambassador."

They opened up a wider world

Zhang Fangju is a founding employee of Jiangxi Yashan Yunyeyi Joint Store and works as a front desk receptionist. Before coming here, she gave her time to her family and children. After arriving at the farm, she "opened up a new world."

Unlike many people who choose to return to their hometown, Li Minyi from Guangzhou chose to leave her hometown. She is the room manager of Xinjiang Hemu Xirong Joint Store. Before that, Minyi worked in a five-star hotel in Guangzhou. When she saw the opening of the farm and was attracted by the beauty of Xinjiang, she decided to go there. Her family was not supportive at first, but they were gradually won over by the photos and work experience she sent back one after another. "Xinjiang is so beautiful and the people are very welcoming." Her parents also began to support her decision.

In addition to the natural environment, Minyi’s favorite thing is that she can make friends from all over the world. Most of the guests who came to the B&B became her friends. Even after they leave, the guests will mail postcards from various places to the farm, and she will give back specialties from Xinjiang, sometimes a leaf, sometimes a petal. Minyi said that she will always stay in Hemu, Xinjiang, which is a holy place that makes her feel happy.

They have achieved their dream career

Wang Yan is also in Xinjiang. She is the manager of the Xinjiang Kanas Yunding Pavilion Joint Store.

Unlike most B&Bs, Yunding Pavilion is built on the top of a mountain. Wang Yan said that this may be the most miserable farm in the world. If tourists want to check in, they have to climb 1,068 steps from the foot of the mountain to reach it. From the initial establishment of the farm to the current transportation of daily supplies, camels and horses are required for transportation. All of this requires Wang Yan's dispatch and arrangement.

Li Fangmei is the store manager of Nanchang Meiji Zhuyin Joint Store. Before coming to the farm, she worked in a world-renowned star hotel. Everything went smoothly. When the farm opened, Li Fangmei switched jobs and came here. Many people did not understand her choice. Fangmei said, "The farm is more like a home." Indeed, the scenery here is beautiful and the air is fresh, but what attracts girls most is the interpersonal relationships here. There is no sense of distance between colleagues, and the relationship between employees and customers is more cordial and natural.

Being a store manager requires more thought than Fangmei initially expected. She needs to formulate development directions and understand market trends, and she also needs to do some small details herself. But none of this troubled 29-year-old Li Fangmei. She wants to be responsible for more stores and manage a larger area under the big brand Nongzhuang.

It is understood that Ctrip’s rural tourism revitalization strategy was launched in March 2021. It is centered on building portable holiday farms and improving destination accommodation experience, and is supported by a series of industrial upgrades, product research and development, talent cultivation, and brand positioning. and other multi-dimensional measures to promote the high-quality development of the rural tourism industry and promote the overall revitalization of the countryside. According to the plan, by the end of 2025, Ctrip's rural tourism revitalization plan will build a total of 10 benchmark rural resort farms and empower 100 joint resort farms on a large scale.

“With the implementation of Ctrip’s rural tourism revitalization strategy, we will provide more employment opportunities and growth possibilities for rural women, allowing more rural women to live a satisfactory life.” Sun Jie said.