Homestays gain popularity with suburban travel routes near Beijing crowded

Many featured homestays on suburban tourism routes stretching out of Chinese capital Beijing ushered in an accommodation peak during Chinese National Day holiday for eight days, according to local authorities on Wednesday.

Boutique homestays in the scenic area of the Miyun Reservoir in the northeast suburbs of Beijing have attracted a considerable amount of tourists to taste an ancient- style vibe.

The Miyun Reservoir holds a capacity of around 4.4 billion cubic meters, which has provided over 39 billion cubic meters of water to Beijing and neighboring areas over the past 60 years.

"It's indeed a special experience to stay here, where I can see the distant mountains out of window, listen to the sound of water, birds and insects, and breathe the fresh air. It's a comfortable place to come," said a homestay guest in Miyun.

"Our buildings are mainly Chinese- styled, which we can integrate with the local natural landscape very well. Since June, our booking has always been generally full," said Wang Luyi, manager of a homestay.

In addition to exterior designs, many homestays have also put priorities on the interior renovation to accommodate comers with most convenience.

The delicate homestays feature ever- improved quality as well as personality in terms of facilities, products, services, and marketing. At present, a number of homestays have emerged in Beijing as rural tourism infrastructure is constantly upgraded. Many boutique homestays are still fully booked in the last two days of the holiday.

According to China's Ministry of Culture and Tourism, rural tourism has been gaining popularity among holidaymakers as they place more emphasis on safety, health and the feeling of coziness during travel. Due to the impact of COVID- 19, tourists tend to choose shorter trips in order to spend less time traveling.

Data by the ministry showed that rural tourism in the country experienced a strong recovery in the second quarter of this year, with the total revenue increasing by nearly 149 percent from 69.5 billion yuan ( about 10.3 billion

U. S. dollars) in the first quarter, and continued to pick up steam.