Our Domestic Work

Bona Villa——Poverty Alleviation through Tourism

The Bona Villa Program was launched by China Foundation for Poverty Alleviation in 2013, aiming to alleviate poverty through development of rural tourism. By exploring a brand-new model of poverty alleviation through development of rural tourism+, the program intends to set up platforms bridging the rural areas and the outside world, re-evaluate the poverty-stricken villages and create chances for development for them. On the basis of rural residents association, the program facilitates the sustainable development in rural areas by actively attracting social capital, information, faculties and other key elements.

From May 2013 to December 31, 2018, this program received a donation of RMB 118 million, with an expenditure of RMB 59.35 million. In 2018, the amount of donation for the program totaled RMB 29 million, with an investment of RMB 29.25 million. The program benefited 19 villages in 18 counties (districts) of 7 provinces, among which 2 villages were rebuilt after disasters had stricken, 10 were moderately poor, 5 severely poor, and 2 ordinary. Among the 25,476 people in these 19 villages, 5,269 were registered poor households. By the end of 2018, 4 villages had started to operate the inns while the remaining 15 still hadn’t started, of which 4 were in pilot operation, 3 under construction, 3 under planning stage and 4 yet to be initiated.

In 2018, the total revenue generated by inns in operation amounted to RMB 3.20 million, with an average annual income per capita of RMB 29,116. The program created more than 100 new jobs, and more than 30 targeted people for poverty alleviation have been employed. An indirect profit of RMB 3.44 million was created through tourism.