Rural homestays rule the roost in recovery
Zhang Yaqi, 32, an English teacher in Shanghai, recently had what she described as “an unforgettable lodging experience”. She booked a three-day holiday at a farmhouse in Moganshan, a leisure tourism and summer resort in Deqing county, Zhejiang province, through an online short-term homestay platform.
“Moganshan is an ideal tourist destination for people living in Shanghai and Hangzhou, Zhejiang province,” she said. “There are lovely bamboo trees and tea gardens all around amid creeping vines in a serene environment.
“The host also prepared breakfast for us. I was thrilled by my decision to try out the homestay concept and felt very comfortable staying there. I will recommend homestay holidays to my friends.”
As the COVID-19 outbreak increasingly comes under control in China, the country’s short-term holiday rental industry is also gradually recovering, with rural homestays and short-distance travel gaining popularity among Chinese tourists.
The China branch of the U.S. company Airbnb said rural homestays are popular choices for leisure travel, given the need for physical distancing in the wake of the pandemic.
Bookings of rural homestays were mainly for kezhan (small Chinese-style homestays), farm stays, cottages and villas, bookings for all of which have grown strongly as the outbreak comes under better control.
“Pent-up travel demand is being unleashed rationally,” said Peng Tao, president of Airbnb China.
“In the short term, shorthaul trips will become the norm, while rural tours are becoming increasingly popular choices. Cleanliness and hygiene of accommodation will also be a top priority for Chinese tourists. Travel is one of the most resilient industries in the world.”
Peng voiced optimism about travel and tourism, including short-term rentals, saying demand for weekly and monthly rentals has surged during the pandemic.
“Based on our latest survey, nearly 60% of hosts said they were willing to accept more weekly and monthly rentals to alleviate operational pressure.”
A survey conducted by the consultancy Kantar showed that 81% of interviewees preferred “traveling closer to home”.
Over the next 12 months 73% of those surveyed said, they preferred traveling by car, 66% by air and 57% by rail.
It also showed that “beach and shore”, “suburban town”and “countryside” are the top choices of a first trip after travel restrictions were eased. Travelers are expecting to “have immersive experiences that show them something new”, not just “visiting popular tourist sites or destinations”.
Han Mengying, an analyst with the market consultancy Analysys, said that compared with hotels, the recovery of the holiday rental market is slower due to its non-standardized management methods and community-based services.
The Chinese homestay listings provider Xiaozhu showed the recovery of rural homestays is much faster than short-term urban rentals.
Orders from Xiaozhu’s official online store in Fliggy, Alibaba’s travel service platform, rose 600% in the second quarter compared with the first quarter. Visitors splurged to see natural scenery, experience traditional villages and soak in local customs and culture to get away from the pressures of urban life.
The quality of rural homestays is improving as some operators are learning to add more dining and entertainment items, such as offering local cuisine or designing themes such as meditation, hiking and yoga.
“Demand for rural homestays cannot be ignored,” Wang said.
“We can see more and more people from major cities preferring to take holidays on weekends. On the policy level, rural homestays are consistent with the country’s rural revitalization strategy and people are willing to invest more resources in the lucrative sector.”
Xiaozhu also launched livestreaming sessions to promote short-term rentals of shared homes and present local specialties in Zhejiang, Yunnan, Sichuan and Guizhou provinces by teaming up with Fliggy and Taobao.
“Demand for short-term leisure tourism is on the rise as more and more people prefer to get close to nature and stay away from the hustle and bustle of cities,” said Lai Zhen, an analyst at iResearch.
Short-term home rentals and homestay services are now wide ranging to satisfy the needs of various kinds of tourists, Lai said. Typically, customers hire such services for get-togethers, reunions, team-building activities and to improve parent-child bonding and communication.