Objective/Meaning Against the backdrop of vigorous advocacy for the development of the homestay economy, analyzing the diverse interests of stakeholders in rural homestays and exploring the symbiotic mechanisms among stakeholders to coordinate conflicting interests can help enhance the value chain of rural tourism and realize the economic value of green mountains and clear waters.

Methods/Procedures This study is based on field survey data, employing mean comparison and paired-sample t-tests to analyze the interests and interactive relationships of core stakeholders in rural homestays. It examines the interests and priority sequences of each core stakeholder and further explores the methods through which these interests are realized.

Results/Conclusions The results show that the categories of interest demands among the core stakeholders of Yongtai rural homestays differ significantly, with notable variations in the degree of attention they receive. The primary interest demands of the four core stakeholders are inconsistent, and their perceptions of the importance of different demands vary. Additionally, the same demand may have different connotations, leading to potential symbiotic conflicts. However, they share a common goal: the development of rural homestays should prioritize “environmental protection and service quality improvement,” which provides the conditions for their symbiosis.