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Taking Yunnan memories home

带走云南记忆

By Zhu Hai □ 朱海 / 文

At 9:00 PM, Kunming’s Dounan Flow- “Before, guests would ask where to go
er Market was still bustling. Shanghai for fun. Now, their first question is often
tourist Lin Wei navigated the vibrant sea what’s worth eating or buying,” said Zhao
of blooms with an empty suitcase in tow, Lin, who has run a guesthouse in Lijiang for
finally settling on three lavish bouquets of eight years. To help, they have specially put
Snow Mountain roses. “These are the most together a local shopping guide so guests
authentic souvenir from Yunnan,” she re- can explore and savor these traditional fla-
marked, noting they sold for triple the price vors for themselves.
back in Shanghai. With practiced hands, While offline consumption thrives, online
she packed them carefully, ready to share innovation is propelling these local goods
“a portable piece of Yunnan spring” with beyond Yunnan’s borders. In the Shicui Valley
friends back home. of Kunming’s Xinfa Village, Xinfa Communi-
Meanwhile, outside a local chain bakery ty, Dabanqiao Sub-district, an influencer host
in Dali Walled City, retired Beijing doctor is midway through a six-hour livestream that
Zhang Jianguo was placing an order. He has already sold millions of yuan worth of
has returned for ten boxes of freshly baked local products. “You have to visit Yunnan—
Yunnan ham pastries. “I tried one yesterday warm in winter, cool in summer, incredibly
and couldn’t stop thinking about it,” he comfortable! For our livestream today, we’ve
explained with a smile, confident that the got exclusive offers lined up. Let’s start with
authentic flavor would be a hit with his old these Yunnan ham pastries...”
friends in the capital. Since June of last year, Yunnan Shicui
In recent years, fueled by the booming Tourism Scenic Area Management Co., Ltd.
tourism industry, Yunnan’s specialty products has entered a tripartite collaboration with
have been reaching tourists’ homes at an un- the Xinfa Community and Xinfa Village.
precedented pace. Data shows steady growth Their model involves renting and reno-
in souvenir spending across the province, with vating villagers’ vacant traditional houses
flowers, ham pastries, coffee, and mushrooms to establish a base for live-in hosts who
ranking among the most popular items. promote Yunnan goods. This initiative has
Experts analyze that behind tourists’ revitalized the village through the “Yunnan
growing enthusiasm for local specialties Good Products & Quality Life” project,
lies a fundamental shift in consumption pat- which integrates a dedicated livestreaming
terns. The mindset has evolved from merely center with a robust supply chain platform.
sightseeing to seeking immersive experienc- “This year, we will complete renovating
es, and finally, to wanting a tangible piece the courtyard for our live-in hosts and es-
of the journey. Tourists crave to materialize tablish a unified supply chain to centralize
their memories, and products infused with storage and enable nationwide shipping
local character provide the perfect medium, for the Yunnan specialties they promote,”
allowing the essence of travel to extend far explained Chen Lu, project leader of the
beyond the trip itself. Shicui Valley initiative. She described the
Capitalizing on these new consumption core concept as transforming the entire tra-
trends, market players in Yunnan are refin- dition-rich village into a vast live-streaming
ing their products and services to cultivate studio that showcases authentic Yunnan
fresh growth. Time-honored pastry shops life. By promoting products within real
are introducing travel-friendly mini-packs local settings, customs, and daily rhythms,
and combination sets that blend signature consumption becomes an immersive expe-
flavors like “ham and rose.” Meanwhile, rience. Culture is no longer statically ex-
florists are designing convenient floral gift hibited but is offered as a lifestyle that can
boxes for tourists, complete with preserva- be experienced and purchased directly. This
tives, wrapping paper, and care instructions approach reconstructs and enhances product
to ensure blooms stay fresh, even when un- value while also drawing numerous tourists
packed as far away as Harbin. for on-site visits.