Meteor Coffee is made by barista Li Qian at a hotel in Zhongwei City, Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region. (Photo/Xinhua)
YINCHUAN — Staying in a hotel under the stars and drinking piping hot coffee has become a tourist trend in the desert region of northwestern China’s Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, contributing to an increase in the number of tourists to the region. There is.
According to data from Meituan, one of China’s leading online service platforms, in early August, searches for “Tenger desert hotels” jumped 470 percent year-on-year, and searches for “desert coffee” jumped 518 percent year-on-year. .
This tourism boom not only stimulated the local economy, but also led to the rise of new and unique professions such as desert baristas and stargazing guides.
Li Qian, 24, from Zhongwei, Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, said, “Before, you could hardly drink coffee in the desert of Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, but the influx of big-city tourists and their coffee-drinking habits has changed the situation. ” he said.
After graduating from university, I started working part-time as a barista at a resort hotel located in the Tengger Desert, which is part of Chuei City. During peak tourist season, Lee and his fellow desert baristas brew up to 700 cups of coffee a day.
Her hometown, Zhongwei City, was once plagued by sandstorms, but since then major changes have occurred in the ecosystem. Thanks to extensive desertification control efforts, the Tenger Desert has retreated 25 kilometers and the once barren land has turned green. Since then, Zhongwei has become a popular tourist destination.
“Most of our customers are from Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou and Shenzhen, and they love taking photos and sharing them on social media,” she said. The increase in tourism is bringing coffee culture to the desert, creating new job opportunities for local youth like Lee in their hometown.
In response to tourists’ fascination with the desert and its “starry skies,” Lee created a unique Meteor Shower coffee with latte art that reflects the night sky. This innovative beer quickly became popular among tourists.
Noting that the recent Perseid meteor shower lit up the Northern Hemisphere’s night sky from July 17 to August 24, Lee said, “There’s nothing better than drinking coffee while gazing at the stars in Zhongwei.” spoke.
For those looking to explore the night sky more deeply, a unique experience awaits with expert guidance. Jin Yanping is a stargazer from Ningxia who was born in the 1990s and works as a desert stargazing guide. He guides tourists across the desert and lets them experience the vastness of the universe through the stars.
“As a child, I was always fascinated by the mysteries of the sky,” Jin said. In 2021, he became a stargazer guide and has since become one of the most popular guides in the Tengger Desert.
However, Jin’s work is not limited to stargazing. He educates travelers about constellations, mythology, and astronomy, deepening their understanding of the wonders of the night sky. In the desert of Ningxia, visitors can lie on soft sand dunes, gaze at the Milky Way, and feel a deep connection with nature.
“When people look up at a sky full of stars, they often feel excited and satisfied,” Jin says. “It’s a moment when you can escape the hassles of everyday life, even if it’s just for a little while.”
Zhu Ying, a tourist from Shanghai, visited Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region in mid-August to witness the breathtaking Perseids meteor shower. “As I lay in the desert and looked at the stars, I felt a deep sense of calm. It was as if I had become one with the universe, and all my worries melted away,” she recalled of her experience.
The desert tourism boom has also spawned other emerging professions, such as camel drivers, off-road vehicle guides, and even desert DJs, creating new opportunities for local youth.
“This new profession not only creates new employment opportunities, but also allows me to enjoy the beauty of life in the desert,” said Lee, a barista.
Xinhua News Agency
