Spatial and Temporal Dynamics of Homestays on Chongming Island: A Systemic Analysis in the Context of World-Class Eco-Island Development

Abstract

As the development of world-class eco-islands progresses, the homestay sector on Chongming Island has burgeoned, emerging as a pivotal catalyst for rural tourism and economic prosperity. This study, leveraging Chongming Island as a case study, systematically analyzes the spatiotemporal distribution of homestays across island-wide, township, and village scales, employing methodologies such as the spatiotemporal evolutionary tree model. It delves into the intricate systemic framework underpinning homestay development, elucidating the dynamics of interaction mechanisms. Furthermore, it examines the evolving roles of diverse stakeholders throughout various developmental phases, grounded in stakeholder theory. The study reveals that (1) Chongming’s homestays on the island, townships, and village scales show very obvious agglomeration characteristics, mainly concentrated in the A-level scenic spots and in and out of the island traffic junction. (2) The growth of homestays in Chongming shows an increasing trend year by year, with the growth rate slowing down after 2020, and can be divided into four main phases, which are closely related to the construction phase of the eco-island. (3) The evolution of Chongming Island’s homestay is a multifaceted natural–human system intricately shaped by a confluence of five interdependent subsystems: natural ecology, social culture, multiple stakeholders, geographical location, and transport infrastructure. At different stages of development, under the synergistic effect of multiple stakeholders, the homestays on Chongming Island eventually formed a governance structure led by the government and co-managed by the development company, external entrepreneurs, and local villagers. These insights not only augment the scholarly discourse on stakeholder dynamics within the homestay industry but also offer pragmatic enlightenment for strategic planning and the advancement of holistic urban–rural integration in Chongming and the broader Shanghai region.

1. Introduction

In recent years, with the diversification and personalization of the tourism market and consumer demands [1], rural homestays have increasingly become a spiritual haven for the urban middle class, ushering in a period of rapid development. In July 2022, the Ministry of Culture and Tourism and nine other departments jointly issued the “Guiding Opinions on Promoting the High-Quality Development of Rural Homestays” (hereinafter referred to as “the Opinions”), which clarified the main goals for the development of rural homestays—by 2025 to initially form a rational layout, moderate scale, rich connotation, distinctive features, and high-quality service of rural homestay development pattern [2]. Currently, as an essential component of the tourism industry, homestays are gradually forming an industry and economy driven by demand-pull, policy promotion, technological advances, and capital investment. They have become a significant force in driving rural economic growth [3] and promoting the integration of culture and tourism, as well as urban–rural integration. [4]. Additionally, homestays are key to boosting rural revitalization, building an ecological civilization, and creating a beautiful China, receiving widespread attention from governments and society at all levels in China. However, issues such as uneven development of homestays across different regions and unclear development mechanisms are prominent. Grasping the patterns of homestay development in different areas, exploring the roles of various stakeholders in the development process of homestays, and clarifying the impact mechanisms of different factors on homestay development are of great importance for promoting the healthy and sustainable development of homestays.

The operating model of homestays differs significantly from traditional farmhouses. Specifically, farmhouses are generally operated by farmers themselves, who accommodate guests after simply decorating their farmhouses. Their main features are “living in farmyards, eating farm meals, doing farm work, and enjoying farm entertainment”, which is version 1.0 of leisure vacation tourism. In contrast, homestays align more with modern people’s pursuit of personalized tourism. The operators are diverse and focus on providing experiential services for tourists rather than basic accommodation services [5], which is version 2.0 of leisure vacation tourism. Although the concept of homestays has not yet been unified, there is an emphasis on residents leveraging local and regional resources and utilizing idle residences to provide accommodation services for tourists [6,7]. This has led to the formation of homestays as a heterogeneous space that integrates local nature, culture, and ways of production and life [8].

Globally, there are currently two widely recognized theories about the origin of homestays. One theory holds that homestays originated from the Minshuku, a type of private lodging in Japan developed by enthusiasts of mountaineering, skiing, swimming, and other hobbies who rented homes for accommodation. The other theory suggests that homestays originated in Europe and America, encompassing expressions such as Bed and Breakfast (B&B) [9], family hotels, homestays [10], and quasi-hotels [11]. The prototype of homestays appeared in the Kenting area of Taiwan in the 1980s. In the 1990s, homestays gradually spread to mainland China. At that time, some characteristic and inexpensive lodging options began to emerge in some tourist cities in southern China, such as Lijiang, Guilin, and Yangshuo, which were called ‘rural tourism’ and were the predecessors of homestays. In 2014, the State Council issued the “Opinions on Promoting Tourism Industry Reform and Development”, which clearly stated the need to strengthen support for the development of rural tourism products, such as rural tourism and homestays, encourage private investment, broaden financing channels, and build platforms to expand the scale of the homestay economy. This move played an important role in promoting the development of homestays, ushering in a new stage of development for Chinese homestays.

As the construction of a world-class eco-island continues to advance, Chongming Island has vigorously developed rural tourism, and the number of homestays has grown explosively. Rural homestays have become an important part of rural tourism. As of December 2022, there were 1012 registered farmhouses/homestays on Chongming Island, making it an important tourism resource for Shanghai and the Yangtze River Delta region. Therefore, this study takes the homestays on Chongming Island as an example, using methods such as kernel density estimation, trend evolution analysis, and spatiotemporal evolution tree models to analyze the current characteristics of Chongming homestays at the scales of the whole island, townships, and villages. It organizes the development process of Chongming homestays from the temporal and spatial scales and analyzes the influencing factors and their interaction mechanisms from static and dynamic perspectives. The aim is to enrich the research content of rural homestays, provide some insights into the healthy development of Chongming homestays and the construction of Chongming’s rural tourism industry, and contribute to the construction of Chongming as a world-class eco-island.

2. Literature Review and Theoretical Basis

2.1. Homestay-Related Research

Due to differences in development models, the research on homestays varies greatly between domestic and foreign sources in terms of research themes and timelines. Foreign research, primarily in Europe and the United States, began in the 1970s and focused mainly on operational strategies [12,13], marketing [14,15], and developmental challenges faced by homestays [16,17]. Decades of research have yielded significant progress, offering valuable insights into domestic homestay development. In contrast, domestic research emerged later and primarily focused on sociology, management, architecture, and other aspects of specialty homestay design [18], operational management [19], and tourism development [20]. Initially, scholars employed qualitative research methods, such as literature analysis and comparative analysis [1], before gradually incorporating quantitative methods like mathematical models [21] to improve the scientific rigor and objectivity of their research. Scholars have shifted from a single perspective of operators and consumers to a more interactive perspective, paying more attention to the human experience and perception.

With the development of computer and GIS technologies, many scholars have begun to utilize GIS tools such as density analysis to visualize the spatial distribution characteristics of homestays [22]. They explore the underlying global spatial processes, patterns, and homestay agglomeration laws, revealing the spatiotemporal patterns, evolution, and layout distribution characteristics of homestays at various scales, including country [23], provincial [24], city-cluster [25], and city scales [26], as well as some special regions [27]. The aforementioned investigation has revealed that, currently, homestays in China are mainly concentrated in several regions, such as the Yangtze River Delta, Beijing–Tianjin–Hebei, Hunan–Guizhou–Guangxi, and the Pearl River Delta, exhibiting highly aggregated features. However, due to limited data, most studies focused only on the spatial distribution characteristics of homestays and little exploration of their development over time. Consequently, the development process and current state of homestays in specific regions are not fully or deeply revealed.

Regarding the study of influencing factors, some studies have used methods such as geographic detectors and regression analysis to quantify various factors that may affect the spatial layout of homestays. They have found that factors such as the number of scenic areas, population density, economic level, transportation location, and national policies collectively affect the spatial distribution characteristics of homestays. As a product of the joint efforts of the government, capital, the public, and other parties, homestays exhibit different mechanisms of action in various spatiotemporal contexts. However, few scholars have conducted systematic analyses of the influencing mechanisms of homestay development, particularly from the perspectives of different stakeholders, exploring their internal interactions and their impact on homestay development.

2.2. Theoretical Basis

The Stakeholder Theory was proposed by Edward Freeman in his book “Strategic Management: A Stakeholder Approach” in 1984 [28]. Freeman suggested that stakeholders refer to all individuals and groups who can influence an organization’s objectives or are influenced by the process of achieving those objectives. Initially proposed for business management [29], this theory has been widely applied in fields such as public transport [30], ecological governance [31], and rural tourism [32]. Stakeholders can be classified into various types based on their enterprise relationship [33], nature [34], power [35], and degree of involvement. In 2010, Jurgens et al. classified stakeholders into two types based on their degree of influence and importance to the enterprise: core stakeholders, including shareholders, labor unions, financial institutions, and governments, and ordinary stakeholders, mainly comprising employees, environmental groups, consumer action organizations, community residents, socially conscious investors, and various other types of public investors [36]. This classification method is clear and hierarchical, helping enterprises gain a more accurate understanding of various stakeholders, adjust their strategies and action plans to meet their needs, and optimize resource allocation. As a result, it has been widely recognized and valued.

Rural tourism, as a new form of driving rural economic growth, has played a significant role in the rural development process in recent years. As a crucial part of rural tourism, the development of homestays is a process that involves multiple stakeholders, including local governments, tourism companies, and villagers. According to Jurgens’ classification, these entities involved in this process can be divided into core stakeholders and ordinary stakeholders. To explore the synergies and mechanisms of multiple stakeholders’ involvement in the development of homestays at different stages of development, it is necessary to closely examine the roles and coordination effects of stakeholders. This is crucial for achieving high-quality development of homestays.

3. Materials and Methods

3.1. Study Area

Chongming Island is located at the mouth of the Yangtze River, between 121°09′30″ and 121°54′00″ east longitude and between 31°27′00″ and 31°51′15″ north latitude. Surrounded by three sides of the river and facing the sea on the other side, it is the largest alluvial island at a river mouth in the world and currently the third largest island in China. The island has a history of around 1400 years and features a flat terrain with no mountains or hills. The northwest and central parts are slightly higher, while the southwest and east are slightly lower. Although Chongming Island is close to Shanghai, transportation is relatively inconvenient. Most of Chongming Island belongs to Chongming District in Shanghai, which includes 16 towns, and a small area in the central north belongs to Nantong City in Jiangsu province with two towns, as shown in Figure 1.

Since the founding of the People’s Republic of China, Chongming Island’s development has undergone three stages: agricultural development, rural industrialization, and ecological construction. In the 1940s and 1950s, Chongming Island had an area of only 600 km². After more than 60 years of land reclamation, its area has now reached 1269.1 km². During this period, Chongming was designated as a base for supplying agricultural products to Shanghai, promoting vigorous agricultural development. Following the reform and opening up, Chongming became a base for producing and processing agricultural raw materials, marking the stage of industrialization development. In 1998, the Shanghai Municipal Government officially proposed the concept of building an “Ecological Island” in Chongming. Since then, Chongming has begun to enter the eco-island construction stage, which can be roughly divided into the initial eco-island construction stage (2001–2009), the eco-island modernization stage (2010–2015), and the world-class eco-island construction stage (2016–present). In 2022, the “Outline of the Development Plan for Chongming World-Class Eco-Island (2021–2035)” was officially released, marking the beginning of Chongming’s ecological construction and entering the phase of regular operation. The tourism industry is a key sector that aligns with the development of Chongming as a world-class eco-island. The unique geographical location and natural resources provide a solid foundation for the development of tourism in Chongming, profoundly changing the local human–land relationship, land use, industrial structure, and rural functions [7].

3.2. Data Sources

Unless otherwise specified, this article refers to a general concept of rural homestay that encompasses both the 1.0 version of farmhouses and the 2.0 version of homestays. The information on the rural homestays in Chongming District comes from the ‘Chongming Rural Tourism’ registration summary of the Chongming District Culture and Tourism Bureau. Meanwhile, the rural homestays in Nantong District are sourced from platforms such as Meituan and Ctrip as of the end of December 2022. The data include various attributes, such as the business name, address, scope of operation, number of employees, business area, and registration time. After the screening, a total of 1012 rural homestays were obtained for Chongming Island. The geographic coordinates of the rural homestays were obtained using the Baidu Maps API coordinate picker based on their registered addresses.

3.3. Methods

3.3.1. Kernel Density Estimation

Kernel density estimation is a nonparametric estimation method in spatial point pattern analysis methods of density [37]. This method can reflect the concentrated characteristics of regional elements in spatial distribution. The higher the kernel density value, the higher the concentration of elements within that point range is proved; on the contrary, the lower the kernel density value, the lower the concentration of elements within that point range is proved, and the more discrete it is. The formula is as follows:

$$f\left(x\right)=\frac{1}{nh}{\displaystyle \sum _{i=1}^{n}K\left(\frac{x-x_i}{h}\right)}$$

(1)

where $K\left(\frac{x-x_i}{h}\right)$ is the kernel density equation, $n$ is the number of homestays, $x$ is the center of the circle, $h$ is the search radius, and $h$ > 0; $x-x_i$ is the distance from the ith homestay point location to the homestay point at (x,y) [38].

3.3.2. Evolution of Concentration Trends

Spatial concentration and evolutionary trends can reflect the degree of their concentration and the direction of central shifts. Using the Mean Center in the spatial statistical analysis function of ArcGIS, the shifting characteristics of homestays in different periods are portrayed to reflect the central trend, dispersion, and direction of geographic elements from the spatial changes in geographic phenomena [39] and the calculation formula is as follows:

$$SDE\left(\overline{X},\overline{Y}\right)=\left|\frac{{\displaystyle \sum _{i=1}^n{x}_i}}{n},\frac{{\displaystyle \sum _{i=1}^n{y}_i}}{n}\right|$$

(2)

$$\tan \theta =\left[\left({\displaystyle \sum _{i=1}^n{x}_i^2}-{\displaystyle \sum _{i=1}^n{y}_i^2}\right)+\sqrt{{\left({\displaystyle \sum _{i=1}^n{x}_i^2}-{\displaystyle \sum _{i=1}^n{y}_i^2}\right)}^2+4\left({\displaystyle \sum _{i=1}^n{x}_i{y}_i}\right)}\right]/2{\displaystyle \sum _{i=1}^n{x}_i{y}_i}$$

(3)

where $x_i$ and $y_i$ are the coordinates of homestay point i, $SDE\left(\overline{X},\overline{Y}\right)$ are the mean center coordinates of the homestay, $\theta$ is the elliptical azimuths, and $n$ is the total number of homestays.

3.3.3. Spatiotemporal Evolution Tree Model

The spatiotemporal evolution tree, as a visualization tool, establishes a mapping relationship between the attribute state space and the spatiotemporal pattern [40]. Overlaying spatiotemporal data directly on a two-dimensional map cannot simultaneously, intuitively, and effectively discover its spatial distribution, formation time, and evolutionary characteristics. Previous researchers have predominantly focused on spatiotemporal data with large time spans and expansive spatial ranges, such as national urban development and intangible cultural heritage lineage [41]. This paper attempts to use a spatiotemporal evolutionary tree model to characterize the temporal development and spatial development of Chongming Island’s homestay development and to explore the feasibility of this method at the microscopic scale. In the evolutionary tree model, the first level branches represent the development stages of Chongming Island’s homestays, which are divided into a start-up stage, a low-growth stage, a transformation stage, and a high-growth stage, and the second level branches represent the years in each stage. According to the number of homestays, they are divided into four categories, namely 1–5, 6–10, 11–15, 16, and above, indicated by different shades of ‘⭕’, with the darker the color, the higher the number; the ‘⭕’ serial number is the township code.

4. Results

4.1. The Spatiotemporal Evolution of Homestays

4.1.1. Spatial Distribution Characteristics of Homestays

At the island scale, there are three major clusters of homestays, known as ‘one big, two small’, mainly concentrated around A-level scenic areas and transportation hubs. By using kernel density analysis to calculate the spatial distribution and aggregation features of homestays, as shown in Figure 2, the first cluster is located in the central part of Chongming Island, with the core of the 4A-level scenic area Dongping National Forest Park and the 3A-level scenic area Hongqiao Flower Township. It is the largest gathering place for homestays on the island, with nearly 200 homestays distributed, accounting for about one-fifth of the total number of homestays on the island. Dongping National Forest Park was opened to the public as a tourist attraction in 1989 and is now a 4A-level scenic spot. Hongqiao Flower Township was awarded the 3A-level scenic spot in 2020 and features the modern Sino–Dutch flower industry base and safflower base. The surrounding homestays have developed rapidly based on the scenic area’s good ecological and tourism resources and have become the representative of Chongming Island’s rural homestay clusters. The second cluster is located in the middle and northern parts of Chongming Island, with the core of the 4A-level scenic areas being Qianwei Ecological Village and Jiangnan Sanmin Culture Village. This cluster is mainly composed of homestays in Qianwei Village, covering an area of 3.5 km² with more than 60 homestays, which is the birthplace of 1.0 farmhouses on Chongming Island and even in Shanghai. The third cluster is located on the east of Chongming Island, at the intersection of the Hushan Expressway, Chenhai Highway, and Beiyan Highway. This cluster has more than 200 homestays, and although there are no A-level scenic areas nearby, its advantage lies in convenient transportation, being the nearest area to the entrance and exit of the G40 Hushan Expressway.

At the township level, homestay accommodations on the entire island are mainly concentrated in Jianshe Town, Shuxin Town, Zhongxing Town, and Chenjia Town. According to the number of homestays in each township, the 16 townships are divided into five categories, as shown in Figure 3. The first category is Jianshe Town, which has 243 homestays, the most in the entire island, and is known as the ‘homestay town’. Located in the central-western part of the island, it is adjacent to the Chongming central urban area to the south and the Dongping National Forest Park, a national 4A scenic area, to the north with obvious locational advantages. The second category includes Shuxin Town, Zhongxing Town, and Chenjia Town, with the number of homestays exceeding 100, most of which are concentrated in Qianwei Village and Xianqiao Village in Shuxin Town, accounting for about 60% of the total number of homestays in the town. Zhongxing Town and Chenjia Town are located in the east of Chongming Island, near the G40 Shanghai-Shaanxi Expressway, Chenhai Highway, Beiyan Highway, and Chongming Intercity Bus Station, with convenient transportation. Chenjia Town is also the “bridgehead” connecting Shanghai via the Shanghai Yangtze River Bridge and the Yangtze River Tunnel, as well as the starting point of the G40 Shanghai-Shaanxi Expressway. The third category includes GangYan Town, Xianghua Town, Bao Town, Gangxi Town, Miao Town, Sanxing Town, XinHe Town, Chengqiao Town, Luhua Town, and Qilong Town. These townships have relatively small homestay scales and fewer accommodations. Attention should be paid to Qilong Town, which belongs to Qidong City in Jiangsu Province and has 13 homestays because of the construction of the Long Island Tourist Resort in the greenbelt in the town. The fourth category includes Haiyong Town, Xincun Township, Dongping Town, and Xinhai Town, mainly located in the central and northern parts of the island with a poor location. Although they also have some A-level scenic spots, the number of homestays is very limited and not well-developed.

At the village scale, homestays across the entire Chongming Island present a core pattern dominated by one primary and one secondary center. There are 170 rural homestay businesses on Chongming Island, which are divided into five levels based on their number, as shown in Figure 4. First is Hongqiao Village, which has the largest number of homestays on the island, with up to 106 businesses, and has emerged as a new model for homestay businesses, featuring a ‘village-style’ collective operation. A total of 38 homestays constitutes the massive Gubobo homestay cluster. Second is Qianwei Village, which has 63 homestay accommodations and is the second largest homestay business village on the island and in all of Shanghai, at its peak, there were a total of 130 households running homestay businesses. Third, represented by Baiye Village, including Beixing Village, Youdong Village, and Chenguang Village, these rural homestays account for about 10% of the total on the island. Among them, Baiyao Village and Youdong Village belong to Jianshe Town and are concentrated around Hongqiao Village, while Beixing Village and Chenguang Village belong to Zhongxing Town and Chenjia Town, respectively, and are located near Beiyan Road and Chenlou Road, cultivating unique and high-quality boutique homestay accommodations. Fourth, represented by Yude Village, including Yunnan Village and Xianqiao Village, there are 13 villages, mainly located in Jian She Zhen, Zhongxing Zhen, and Chenjia Zhen, with relatively fewer homestay businesses. Fifth, represented by Gangyan Village, including Chunguang Village, Yonglong Village, and 145 other villages, these rural homestay accommodations are distributed throughout all townships on the island. Although the number of homestay accommodations in each village is relatively small, the total number accounts for approximately 50% of all homestay businesses on the island and is an important part of their development.

4.1.2. Temporal Development Characteristics of Homestays

Overall, the total number of homestays on Chongming Island has shown a yearly increasing trend, with a concentration of growth in the past seven years, although the growth rate has slowed down. According to the yearly growth of homestay accommodations shown in Figure 5, the development of Chongming homestays can be divided into four stages, as shown in

Table 1. Stages of development of homestays on Chongming Island.

Stage	Period	Characteristic
Initial stage	2005–2008	1.0 farmhouses start to emerge
Low-speed growth stage	2009–2013	The first wave of growth, dominated by 1.0 farmhouses
Transformation and development stage	2014–2017	The second wave of growth, 2.0 homestays start to emerge
High-speed growth stage	2018–2022	The third wave of growth, 2.0 homestays share expands

. Although the Chongming rural homestays can be traced back to around 2000, when Shanghai’s science popularization of agriculture and sightseeing agriculture began, farmers renovated their houses and used them as venues for rural farmhouses. However, as the related regulations were not perfect at that time and the farmers had weak legal awareness, they did not register with the Industrial and Commercial Bureau. Therefore, this article records the earliest registration time of Chongming’s tourism bureau. In the initial stage, the growth of Chongming homestays was slow, and it was not yet scaled up. Most of them were based on the traditional rural farmhouse model. In the low-speed growth stage, Chongming rural farmhouses ushered in the first wave of growth peak, with an increase of 33 in 2010. In the transformation and development stage, the government began promoting the 2.0 version of homestays. The entire island presented a coexistence of 1.0 rural farmhouses and 2.0 homestays and entered the second wave of growth peak, with a growth of 254 in four years. In the high-speed growth stage, the third wave of growth peak appeared, with a growth of 690 in five years. However, this trend plummeted under the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2022, with only 20 new homestays added in one year.

From the perspective of towns, homestays on Chongming Island gradually expanded from Shuxin Town to all townships, eventually forming a spatial pattern centered around Jianshe Town, Shuxin Town, Zhongxing Town, and Chenjia Town. Figure 6 reveals that during the initial stage, homestays were primarily concentrated in Shuxin Town, with annual growth not exceeding five properties per township. During the low-growth stage, the number of townships with homestay businesses began to expand, mainly in Chenjia Town, Sanxing Town, and Shuxin Town, with the highest growth rate occurring in 2010. As the region entered the development phase, both the scale and quantity of homestay growth increased dramatically, with more than ten townships engaged in homestay operations. Other townships, such as Jianshe Town, Zhongxing Town, Xianghua Town, and Bao Town, saw a surge in homestays, particularly Jianshe Town, which grew by 87 properties in 4 years. During the high-growth stage, homestay businesses covered all 16 townships on the island, with the number of properties growing rapidly. Especially in 2020, the first year of the outbreak of COVID-19, nine towns, represented by Jianshe Town, had 16 or more homestays. At this stage, the towns with the most significant growth were Jianshe Town, Shuxin Town, Zhongxing Town, and Chenjia Town. Figure 7 shows that due to the rapid growth of homestays in Zhongxing Town and Chenjia Town during this period, the center of homestays on Chongming Island moved from Shuxin Town’s original center to Jianshe Town, Zhongxing Town, and Chenjia Town. By 2022, the total number of homestays in these four towns had reached 621, forming a spatial pattern centered around Jianshe Town, Shuxin Town, Zhongxing Town, and Chenjia Town, as shown in Figure 5.

4.2. Impact Mechanism of Temporal and Spatial Characteristics of Homestays

The development of rural homestays is a multidimensional composite of time, space, and ecology [42]. Previous studies have shown that the formation and development of rural homestays are closely related to various factors such as economic development foundation, transportation location, population conditions, and tourism resources [43]. For Chongming Island, in the process of building a world-class eco-island, homestays have gradually developed under the coordinated efforts of multiple stakeholders, relying on the natural environment, social culture, geographical location, and transport infrastructure. Notably, the 16 towns and villages under the Chongming District jurisdiction account for 98% of the total number of homestays on the island. Therefore, the following analysis of influencing factors and mechanisms focuses primarily on Chongming District.

4.2.1. Static Dimension

The development of homestays on Chongming Island, as a complex natural–human system, mainly consists of five subsystems: natural ecology, social culture, multiple stakeholders, geographical location, and transport infrastructure. These subsystems jointly promote the high-quality development of homestays, as illustrated in Figure 8.

From the perspective of interactions between different subsystems and within each subsystem, the relationships are not only simple linear ones but also involve strong causal feedback effects. The first subsystem, natural ecology, includes terrain, landforms, wetlands, forests, lakes, air quality, and ecological agriculture. These elements not only serve as the material basis for the formation and development of the local culture but also, to some extent, restrict the development of transportation inside and outside the island. The second subsystem, social culture, encompasses the regional characteristics unique to Chongming Island, such as pioneering spirit, entrepreneurial spirit, ecological culture, customs, and production methods that have evolved through years of interaction between residents and the natural environment. The third subsystem, multiple stakeholders, refers to the entities involved in the development of homestays, such as the government, tourists, residents, homestay operators, associations, media, etc. Some of these entities directly participate in the operation and management of homestays, and some indirectly influence the location and layout of homestays by improving local transportation and publicity. The fourth subsystem, geographical location, mainly refers to the proximity to tourist resources, town centers, residential areas, and dining and entertainment facilities. These locations affect the choice of homestay locations and, in turn, drive the development of transportation in the region. The fifth subsystem, transport infrastructure, mainly refers to various transportation elements such as ring roads, highways, public transportation, and ferry terminals. These transportation elements are constrained by the natural ecology during the construction process and become important means of connecting different nodes, such as tourist resources and residential areas.

From the perspective of the mechanism of homestay development, improvements in the natural ecology, geographical location, and transport infrastructure serve as external factors, while longstanding social and cultural norms form the intrinsic soul of homestay development. The diverse actors involved in this industry are the key to linking the internal and external factors.

• Natural ecology is the external basis of homestay development

Unlike hotels and resorts, homestays rely on the local natural environment and rural landscape, allowing tourists to experience nature and reminisce about rustic life. The development of homestays on Chongming Island is closely tied to the construction of the world-class eco-island. In the 1950s and 1960s, large-scale reclamation efforts n Chongming Island aimed to develop agriculture and industry. In the early 21st century, the concept of constructing Chongming Eco-Island was proposed for the first time. By 2016, Shanghai committed to supporting the construction of the “World-Class Eco-Island” on Chongming Island. This led to the closure of many industrial enterprises and prompted rural areas to explore paths of transformation and development. For example, Qianwei Village developed agritourism, promoting leisure agricultural tourism with activities like “eating local food, living in local homes, doing farm work, and experiencing rural life”, leveraging the natural ecological foundation and proximity to Dongping National Forest Park. As Chongming Island’s ecological environment improved and A-level scenic spots were added, some homestays adopted a development mode centered around these scenic spots.

2.

Social and cultural factors constitute the essence of homestays

Government documents and definitions of homestays emphasize their local and distinctive qualities, which are their major competitive advantages. Chongming Island, formed by sediment accumulation at the mouth of the Yangtze River, expanded due to human activities such as reclamation. From the late 1950s to the early 1990s, large-scale land reclamations shaped Chongming Island. These rural areas reflect unique interactions between people and the environment, documenting a history of hard work and entrepreneurship, as well as the Chongming spirit of fearlessness and resilience. These cultural characteristics make the rural scenery and local customs highly attractive to tourists.

3.

Geographical location is the unique advantage of homestays

Chongming Island’s proximity to Shanghai, a major metropolitan area, offers a robust tourism industry conducive to the development of rural tourism and homestays. A-level scenic spots are fundamental drivers of tourist motivation, which is why most homestays are located in or around these spots [44]. For example, nearly 200 homestays are situated around Dongping National Forest Park. Homestays near highway exits, town centers, and train stations offer convenient transportation for tourists, such as those in Zhongxing and Chenjia towns. Homestays near residential areas provide urban tourists with opportunities to experience authentic rural life and culture. Homestays near large-scale entertainment and catering facilities enhance tourists’ experiences, reducing homogeneity in homestay accommodation.

4.

Transport infrastructure is the significant support for homestays

Before 2009, Chongming Island’s transportation relied on limited ferry services, often disrupted by weather conditions, severely restricting tourism development. The opening of the Yangtze River Tunnel and Bridge in 2009 led to substantial growth in Chongming’s tourism industry, with the number of homestays increasing nearly fourfold by 2010. Currently, Chongming has a complete circular highway system and comprehensive public transportation, connecting all towns on the island and important nodes such as Chongming Long-distance Bus Station, the Yangtze River Tunnel and Bridge, Dongping Forest Park, and Xisha Mingzhu Lake Scenic Area. Future developments, such as the Shanghai–Chongqing–Chengdu High-Speed Rail and the Shanghai Subway Chongming Line, will bring new opportunities to Chongming’s homestay industry.

5.

Multi-stakeholder collaboration is the key measure for homestays

The joint participation and collaborative efforts of multiple stakeholders are indispensable in the development of homestays, as illustrated in Figure 9. According to Jurgen’s stakeholder theory, stakeholders’ impact and importance can be categorized into two groups: core stakeholders, including the government, tourists, operators, and development companies, and ordinary stakeholders, including house owners, residents, media, and industry associations.

Among core stakeholders, the government plays a crucial role. At different stages, different levels of government have guided homestay development through various roles: laissez-faire, increasing attention, standard setting, and guiding and regulating. Initially, the Shanghai Municipal Government decided to build Chongming as an eco-island, and then the Chongming County Government gradually implemented the relevant requirements for the construction of the eco-island, requiring townships and villages to vigorously implement measures such as reforestation, shutting down of polluting enterprises, sewage treatment, etc., to achieve the relevant ecological indicators initially, and did not intend to guide the development of its farmhouse industry. As the ecological environment improved, the government began to intentionally guide leisure tourism, eco-agriculture, sports and recreation, and other eco-industries through the organization of a number of large-scale activities to attract people from outside the island to travel to the island and the introduction of the relevant policies. In 2009, the opening of the Yangtze River Tunnel Bridge accelerated the pace of development of tourism in Chongming, and the farmhouse has also been further developed. The district government further formulated relevant standards, and townships and village committees began to consciously guide the transformation and development of farmhouses; financial support was given to star homestays selected at the municipal and district levels. Until the Tenth Flower Expo, the district government has been encouraging the townships to actively cultivate the new mode of high-quality development of homestays, and the village committees provided good protection for the homestay in the villages through continuous improvement of the human environment and other measures. Thus far, the Shanghai and Chongming district governments have worked together to ensure the free, healthy, and orderly development of homestays in the market by setting standards and providing incentives, and the townships and village committees have succeeded in grassroots services, such as trying to introduce foreign capital and activating the market vitality. In addition, the “13th Five-Year Plan for the Development of Chongming World-Class Eco-Island” also puts forward to enhance the level of coordination and linkage with Nantong, Jiangsu Province, to strengthen the eco-island construction synergy with the town of Haiyong and Qilong, and jointly build the Yangtze River estuary strategic synergistic area. The northern part of Chongming Island, Qilong Town, and Haimen Town in Nantong City are also included in the scope of the World Eco-Island Plan due to their close proximity to Chongming Island. On the one hand, they have been continuously upgrading the overall ecological level through measures such as tree planting and greening, and on the other hand, they are also actively building high-end communities such as Greenland Long Island and eco-tourism areas such as Dream Long Island, vigorously pushing forward the development of the culture and tourism industry. During the Flower Expo preparation, the two towns began to gradually pay attention to the homestay, led by the government, to develop relevant policies, such as Haiyong Town, and give full play to the basic advantages of the two provincial idyllic villages of Yongbei Village and Shannan Village, helping homestay enterprises settle in Haiyong by means of land leasing.

Tourists are important agents in the value creation of rural homestays. Their choice of homestays is not only to meet the basic need for accommodation but more so to experience the distinctive culture and surrounding environment that the homestay conveys [45]. According to 2021 statistics, 70% of Chongming Island’s tourists come from Shanghai, 20% come from Jiangsu and Zhejiang, and 10% come from other regions. These tourists not only enjoy various resources on Chongming Island but also guide the direction of its tourism development, promoting the transformation of homestay operators and the healthy development of the local homestay and rural tourism industries.

Operators and development companies are the most direct and biggest beneficiaries of the homestay economy and play a decisive role in the development of homestays. Currently, about one-fourth of the rented houses on Chongming Island are used for homestay operations. Development companies or external operators create homestay clusters or high-end homestays through leasing, bringing new business ideas and business models and guiding high-quality development of Chongming’s homestay industry, such as Hou Yuan Homestay in Chenjia Town and Ye Shan Homestay in Jiangshe Town.

For ordinary stakeholders, there is no direct relationship between good or bad development of homestays or the landlords who lease their properties to operators. However, a healthy and sustainable development of homestays can bring stable rental incomes to landlords. In Chongming, most landlords choose to rent out their properties for various reasons. This change in profit from risk to stability provides diversified development paths for the local homestay industry. Homestays are part of the rural network of residents, and there are always complex relationships between them. Good social relationships and atmosphere can promote the development of homestays to a certain extent. In Chongming, homestay operations can improve the local rural living environment to a certain extent. Larger homestays help nearby residents solve employment problems and boost the local economy, gaining approval from residents. Media is also an important channel for homestay marketing and promotion, especially with the popularity of new media platforms such as TikTok and Weibo. Both tourists and homestay operators can use these platforms to promote homestays and influence their reputation and development. Currently, the Chongming Media Center, Chongming Tourism public account, and other related media play an important role in the marketing of Chongming homestays and rural tourism, becoming an important window for tourists to learn about Chongming tourism. Homestay associations are social organizations established to promote the healthy development of homestays. Under the guidance of the government, these associations coordinate, serve, manage, and guide the healthy and orderly development of local homestays. In 2019, the Chongming Homestay Association was established, and in 2022, the first town association on the island, the Zhongxing Town Homestay Association, was established. These associations, under the guidance of the government, promote the standardization, professionalism, and orderly operation of local homestays, promoting the high-quality development of Chongming homestays.

4.2.2. Dynamic Dimension

Examining the construction phase of Chongming Eco-Island, alongside the development stages of homestays, reveals a striking parallel. It can be argued that the evolution of homestays on Chongming Island has closely followed the trajectory of eco-island development. Within this context, the development of homestays has relied on both internal and external resources, involving operators, property owners, government entities, tourists, and other diverse stakeholders. Together, they have shaped the spatial and temporal landscapes of Chongming homestays today.

• Initial Stage: Eco-island goal initially proposed, agriturismo takes shape

Around the year 2000, Chongming Island embarked on its ecological construction path. In 2001, the state council officially approved the “Shanghai Urban Master Plan (1999–2020)”. In the same year, Chongming County clearly set forward the goal of eco-island construction. Under the concept of an eco-island, the government started to plant trees and forests and returned dikes to the beaches, opening the road to ecological civilization exploration and laying a good ecological foundation for the construction of the eco-island afterward. To explore the way to wealth in the new era, a few rural areas, represented by Qianwei Village, emerged with the traditional farmhouse business model 1.0 based on a sound natural ecology foundation and favorable geographic location, offering guests the experience of “eating local farm-style food, living in renovated farmhouses, and enjoying rural entertainment”. At this stage, the farmhouse businesses were mainly renovated by local villagers, served mainly by tourists from Shanghai, and operated without sufficient government supervision and management. In October 2003, the government issued the “Chongming County Farmhouse Tourism Management Implementation Rules (trial)”, which stated clearly that farmhouse businesses require permits from the County Tourism Bureau. However, since farmhouse businesses are small in scale and have little reputation—with tourists scattered in only a few villages—most businesses, at this time, still operated without permits. By 2008, in anticipation of the Shanghai World Expo, the government began to place greater emphasis on the development of Chongming Island’s farmhouse industry and the building of an ecological leisure brand in relevant documents.

2.

Slow growth stage: Eco-island enters modernization phase, agriturismo acquires government attention

With the opening of the Yangtze River Tunnel Bridge in 2009, the farmhouse tourism industry on Chongming Island experienced a certain degree of rapid growth. Chongming Island has become the top choice for more and more urban residents for weekend getaways. In 2010, the Shanghai Municipal Government issued the “Chongming Eco-Island Construction Programme (2010–2020)”, which explicitly proposed the construction of a modern eco-island. In the same year, the Chongming County Government formulated the “Interim Measures for Accelerating the Development of Chongming Island Tourism Industry to Provide Support and Incentives to Rural Tourism”. The measures increased support and incentives for rural tourism. In 2013, the “Interim Measures for the Administration of ‘Chongming Rural’ Tourism” were issued, which further refined the opening and operation of “Chongming Rural” entities, approval procedures, and rating assessments, providing convenience and policy support for the opening and operation of farmhouse tourism. During this period, the reputation of Chongming Island’s farmhouse tourism continued to grow, attracting tourists not only from Shanghai but also from Jiangsu, Zhejiang, and other places.

3.

Transitional development stage: World-class eco-island construction goals put forward, homestay upgrading, diversification of business entities

Around 2014, the business of rural farmhouses started to decline, with fewer young tourists and more elderly groups, and the development of rural farmhouses entered a bottleneck period. In 2016, Shanghai decided to support Chongming’s construction of a “world-class eco-island” and formulated and released the “13th Five-Year Plan for the Development of Chongming’s World-Class Eco-Island”. The plan proposes to actively explore new modes of ecological development and emphasizes the need to focus on combining with Chongming’s local culture, taking the countryside, homestays, and farms as carriers, and actively developing industries such as art creation, cultural creativity, film, and media. Thus far, the Chongming District Government has begun to explore the transformation and high-quality development path of farmhouses, and in 2017, drafted and formulated the “Chongming ecological homestays rating standards” and rating methods, encouraging homestays to undertake specialization, standardization, and branding development. It emphasizes that homestays must make “ecology” their primary standard and focus on “quality”, “taste”, and “brand” so that tourists can experience a living experience that is perfectly infused with the rustic atmosphere of the countryside and the exquisite temperament of the city. Some townships tried to introduce experienced development companies and other external capital, and through the connection of government–enterprise, village–enterprise, and other forms, they aimed to create new types of rural farmhouses such as boutique homestays and happy farms. These companies purchased village houses and transformed the previously independently operated rural homestays into homestay clusters. For example, Shengzheng Group, introduced in Qianwei Village in 2014, has already acquired 59 rural buildings and transformed the exterior walls, fences, venues, green landscapes, and interior decorations, creating a cluster of boutique homestays with Jiangnan style and island charm. At the same time, more and more young entrepreneurs came to Chongming to invest, initiating a batch of high-end homestays with distinctive features.

4.

High growth stage: World-class eco-island construction enters normative period, homestay development on track

In 2018, the Shanghai Municipal People’s Congress released the “Decision on Promoting and Guaranteeing the Construction of Chongming’s World-Class Eco-Island” and the “Chongming District Master Plan and Land Use Master Plan (2017–2035)”. These documents underscored the strategic importance of eco-economy development, particularly in the leisure and tourism sectors. In the same year, Chongming officially released the “Chongming Ecological Homestay Rating Methods” and “Chongming Ecological Homestay Rating Standards”. In the following three years, the Chongming District Government successively selected three batches of star-rated homestays, including 49 five-star homestays. In 2019, the Chongming Homestay Association was established, marking the development of Chongming’s homestays from the development of fragmented individuals to the development of the organization of the industry. In 2021, the Tenth Flower Expo was held in Chongming. In order to guarantee the demand for homestays during the expo, the entire Chongming Island, from the government to the grassroots level, both local villagers and foreign investors, vigorously promoted the development of homestays. In 2022, the “Outline of the Development Plan for Chongming World-Class Eco-Island (2021–2035)” was formally released, which explicitly pointed out the implementation of boutique homestays, boutique countryside hotels, and the quality enhancement of countryside tourism management and services, in accordance with the principles of combining local characteristics, local flavor and standardization, and functionality, to create a number of iconic homestays and countryside hotels, and to improve their quality. In addition to the release of the above documents, during the three-year COVID-19 pandemic, on the one hand, the Chongming District Government successfully created 11 3A-level scenic spots and launched the “live in Chongming, scenic half-price tour” activities; on the other hand, due to the restrictions on inter-provincial and municipal travel, the local, peripheral tours have become the preferred choice of consumer travel. As the backyard of Shanghai, Chongming’s good ecological environment and rural culture have become the first choice for Shanghai people to travel. Thus far, the Chongming District Government considers the homestay as an important sector for its tourism industry, focusing on cultivating a number of happy farms and Chongming ecological homestays. At the same time, it strongly supports the development of high-quality rural homestays and no longer develops low-level farmhouses. As of December 2022, the main operators of Chongming’s homestays have shown a trend of diversified development, including local villagers’ self-employment, external individual rental house operations, and investment and operation by development companies. Among them, the proportion of local houses rented to external entrepreneurs and development companies accounts for about one-fourth, forming a coexistence of local villagers, external entrepreneurs, and development companies.

5. Discussion

5.1. Research Implication

In the construction process of Chongming World-Class Eco-Island, homestays, as an important form of rural tourism in Chongming, have become an important step in promoting rural revitalization, urban–rural integration and development, and ecological civilization. This paper elaborates on the current situational characteristics of homestays in Chongming Island from multiple scale perspectives and discusses the development history of homestays under the background of the construction of a world-class eco-island. It explores the influencing factors of the spatial distribution of homestays in Chongming and its interaction mechanism from the static and dynamic perspectives based on stakeholder theory. It is of great theoretical and practical significance for clarifying the development stage of homestays, enriching the content of homestays’ research, and guiding the high-quality development of homestays.

Firstly, this paper analyzes the spatial and temporal characteristics of homestays in Chongming Island using various methods and systematically reveals the development history of homestays in Chongming Island. Previous studies tend to focus only on the spatial level of analysis, with less attention to the temporal level, and most of the only relevant studies present the annual quantitative changes in the form of line graphs, making it difficult to effectively demonstrate the characteristics of different stages. This paper introduces the spatiotemporal evolution tree model, which presents the four development stages of homestays and the number of homestays established in different townships across different years in a more intuitive and clearer way. It establishes the mapping relationship between the attribute state space and the spatiotemporal pattern, which provides a methodological reference for such studies in the future.

Secondly, this paper constructs the composition of the five major subsystems of homestay development and systematically elaborates on the interactions between the subsystems and between the elements within the subsystems. Most of the previous studies only focus on the influencing factors but do not deeply and systematically explore the interaction mechanism within each influencing factor, and thus, fail to grasp the important roles played by different elements, such as natural ecology, social culture, and so on, in the development of homestays. As a complex natural–humanitarian system, this paper breaks it down into different subsystems, which is important for a deep and systematic understanding of the development process and influencing mechanisms of homestays.

Thirdly, this paper pays special attention to the role of multiple stakeholders in the different development stages of homestays. After more than twenty years of development, the folk lodging on Chongming Island has presented different characteristics at different stages. Based on the stakeholder theory, this paper divides the multiple stakeholders into core stakeholders and ordinary stakeholders. It systematically analyzes the roles played by these stakeholders at different development stages. In particular, the role of the government in this is different for different levels of government and at different stages.

5.2. Limitations and Future Directions

At present, the construction of Chongming World-Class Eco-Island is moving towards the goal of a bigger pattern, wider field, and deeper and higher levels. The development of the homestay industry will not only greatly drive the development of the leisure and tourism industry across the entire island but also serve as a powerful implementation of the concept of turning green mountains into silver mountains. As far as this paper is concerned, there are still some problems that deserve further exploration, as follows:

On the one hand, this article only treats the homestay industry on Chongming Island as a whole and fails to strictly distinguish between farmhouses and homestays, neglecting the developmental differences of homestays at different stages and with different star ratings. As an expression of individuality, this article only generally describes the temporal and spatial characteristics of homestays but fails to explore in-depth the differences in the philosophies of homestay operators, tourist preferences, and the impact of market demand on the distribution of homestays.

On the other hand, the development of homestays is significantly impacted by major societal events such as epidemics, and Chongming is no exception. The organization of the Flower Expo and the epidemic were key factors in the sudden, explosive growth of homestays in Chongming. However, with a transition into the post-epidemic era, the development of Chongming’s homestays has hit a bottleneck. Shanghai residents have more travel options, and Chongming’s homestays lack distinctive features and appeal. The adaptive strategies of the stakeholders, particularly the government and homestay operators, are crucial. How the government at all levels should guide the future development of the homestay industry and whether these operators can withstand the recovery period after the epidemic, are issues that merit further exploration.

6. Conclusions

This study takes the homestays on Chongming Island as a case study and employs kernel density estimation, central tendency evolution, and spatiotemporal evolution tree models to explore the spatiotemporal distribution characteristics of Chongming Island’s homestays at the island-wide, township, and village scales. It elaborates on the developmental trajectory of Chongming Island’s homestay industry. Utilizing stakeholder theory, it analyzes the mechanisms influencing the spatiotemporal distribution of Chongming’s homestays from both static and dynamic perspectives, with a particular focus on the role of diverse stakeholders in this process. This approach underscores the significance of understanding the interactions and contributions of various stakeholders, which are pivotal to the evolution and current state of the homestay sector on Chongming Island.

Firstly, Chongming Island’s homestays have obvious agglomeration centers. At the scale of the entire island, the homestays are concentrated around three major centers, namely, Dongping National Forest Park and the G40 highway entrance and exit, showing a ‘one large, two small’ pattern. At the township scale, homestays are mainly concentrated in the central and eastern parts of the island, particularly in Jianzhu, Shuxin, Zhongxing, and Chenjia towns, adjacent to Dongping National Forest Park and the G40 highway. At the village scale, homestays exhibit a ‘one super, one strong, multiple core’ pattern, with Hongqiao and Qianwei villages as the major cores.

Secondly, although Chongming Island’s homestays have shown consistent annual growth, the rate of increase has decelerated, particularly during the initial year of the COVID-19 pandemic. The development of Chongming Island’s homestays can be categorized into distinct stages based on their growth characteristics: the preliminary, slow growth, transformation and development, and high-speed growth stages. Among them, there were two peaks in 2010 and 2020, and the opening of the Yangtze River tunnel and bridge and the occurrence of COVID-19 all had a great impact on Chongming homestays.

Thirdly, the development of homestays on Chongming Island as a complex natural–human system is a multifactorial, multi-level, and multidimensional complex process. From a static perspective, Chongming Island’s homestays are primarily influenced by five subsystems: natural ecology, social culture, multiple stakeholders, geographical location, and transport infrastructure, which interact and influence each other to promote high-quality homestay development. The natural foundation is the external basis of homestay development. Cultural and social factors constitute the essence of homestays. Geographical location is the unique advantage of homestays. Transportation infrastructure is a significant support for homestays. Multiple stakeholders are the key measure for homestays. Considering the dynamic nature, various stakeholders within the five major subsystems, particularly within the multiple subjects subsystem, assume distinct roles during different developmental stages. Specifically, government involvement at various levels has evolved through four distinct phases: a laissez-faire approach, increasing attention, standard setting, and guiding and regulating. Ultimately, a state of coexistence emerged where the government leads and regulates, alongside the operations of development companies, external entrepreneurs, and local villagers, thus shaping a pluralistic and collaborative model of homestay development.