The dinner also allows the village's Dong inhabitants to share their culinary heritage and cultural activities – such as singing and dancing – with visitors to achieve twofold benefits: Preserving and promoting their traditional lifeways while also generating revenue for the community.

Unlike cultural tourism in other regions and countries, where large travel companies often position themselves as the primary beneficiaries of tourism packages and excursions to rural areas, Dong residents of Chengyang Bazhai have maintained control of Bai Jia Yan and reaped the benefits of its success.

Organized by Aixian Wu, a local Dong woman who operates a village restaurant, the dinner provides jobs for chefs, servers, cleaning staff and the lively entertainers – all village residents and members of the Dong ethnic group.

This cultural and economic empowerment is palpable while visiting Chengyang Bazhai: Most of the Dong villagers do not hawk generic trinkets in pursuit of a quick buck; instead, they want to introduce visitors to their food, their language, their songs and dance, their stunning handmade silver jewelry and traditional handicrafts and their vibrant garments. While wandering the settlement's warren of small alleys, I sense unmistakable pride in the past and excitement about what the future holds.

The benefits of sustainable tourism and its role in poverty alleviation are not lost on the local government, which has been actively supporting the tourism industry's development in Chengyang Bazhai and other villages.