'Grandpa Gourd' Offers a Lesson for Tourism Development

An elderly man in Shaoxing's Shusheng Guli area became known as 'Grandpa Gourd' after gourds grown on his balcony resembled a scene from the cartoon 'Calabash Brothers'. After a surge in visitors, he cut the gourds down, then hung them back up. The article notes that residential spaces unexpectedly becoming internet-famous attractions bring noise, congestion, safety hazards, and disruption to residents, with costs borne by the person and community while benefits are shared by platforms, bloggers, and nearby businesses. It suggests establishing rapid response and carrying capacity assessment mechanisms, transforming point-based check-ins into area-based experiences, and establishing communit…