Paper short abstract:

农家乐 Peasant Family Happiness depicts the everyday experience of "doing tourism" (Ch: gao lüyou) in two rural, ethnic tourism destinations in contemporary China: Ping'an and Upper Jidao villages.

Paper long abstract:

Tourism in China today signifies many things. To the Chinese state, tourism is a win-win opportunity to promote rural development and domestic spending. To tourists, it is the epitome of middle-class leisure and prosperity. And for others, tourism is a means for employment and economic stability. 农家乐 Peasant Family Happiness depicts the everyday experience of "doing tourism" in two rural, ethnic tourism villages: Ping'an and Upper Jidao. Focusing on the perspectives of village residents, this film portrays how modern, rural Chinese negotiate between the consequences of tourist arrivals in their villages and ideal projections of who they are and what their lives can achieve through tourism development.

Director: Jenny Chio

Runtime in minutes: 70

Year of completion: 2012

Location: China (shooting), Australia/USA (production)

Production/Distribution: Jenny Chio