Tourists visit the Fuzi (Confucius) Temple scenic area in Nanjing, east China's Jiangsu Province, Aug. 18, 2023. Qinhuai District of Nanjing has been boosting and diversifying its tourism economy in recent years through joint efforts in entertainment, sightseeing, catering and shopping services. A number of tourist attractions designed for nighttime visit were established there to enrich the nightlife of both tourists and local residents, and infuse new vigor into urban consumption.(Photo: Xinhua)

 
As China gears up for the upcoming eight-day Golden Week holiday, which combines the Mid-Autumn Festival and the National Day holiday, a unique approach to lodging similar to Airbnb has been gaining popularity on Chinese social media platforms. Some homeowners across the country are opening their doors to travelers, offering their vacant homes for short-term rental during the festive season at an affordable price.

This year’s Golden Week holiday, which kicks off on September 29, has prompted surging enthusiasm for travel but also skyrocketing prices in hotels. China Railway predicted that it will transport 190 million passengers from September 27 to October 8, with an average of 158 million passengers per day, up 14.73 percent compared to the same period in 2019.

Media reports have said that many hotels have increased their prices during the period, with some prices even going up by more than three times the normal rates.

Feng, 26, who is based in the Qinhuai District of Nanjing, has chosen to rent her vacant rooms to holiday travelers. Inspired by a desire to help fellow travelers who find hotels too expensive, she posted a listing about the offer on the lifestyle-sharing platform Xiaohongshu. 

Wang provided detailed information about her home’s location, decor, and a nightly rate of 200 yuan ($27.36), which is cheaper than the surrounding hotels.
“I receive around a dozen inquiries daily, mostly from college students and young people who just entered the workforce,” Feng told the Global Times on Tuesday. “The experience has been great and the guests are good-mannered and tidy.”

To ensure safety, Wang charged a 200-yuan deposit and exchanged identification information with her guests, including verifying the identity of college students with their student IDs.

Yu, 23, who lives in Beijing, has offered her home for free during the National Day holiday but with a unique condition – guests have to help care for her pet dog. 

Her post on Xiaohongshu attracted over a hundred private messages, although some were unpleasant, Yu told the Global Times. Eventually, she selected two female college students as her guests. Like Feng, she also took precautions by collecting a 200-yuan deposit and sharing identification information with her guests.

“I think I can rent it out as a homeowner to tourists, but if I were a tourist, I wouldn’t want this form of accommodation,” she noted.

Unlike traditional hotels or guesthouses, many of these homeowner-hosted accommodation options do not provide standard amenities like bath products or towels. Some observers argue that this short-term rental trend is part of the sharing economy, fostering mutual benefits for both hosts and guests, as the hosts can get rent while the travelers can stay at a lower price.

However, concerns have been raised about the legality and safety of these arrangements. A Xiaohongshu user expressed worries about the intrusion of strangers into one’s private space and the potential risks involved. 

“More importantly, it’s also illegal to rent your house out without permission, and someone living in my house may put themselves or my family at risk if they are not safety conscious and aware of potential hazards,” she told the Global Times. 

Another netizen echoed this view, saying that she would not like to choose this accommodation option, and described the situation as “weird and unsafe.”
Fan Xiaochun, a Beijing-based lawyer, told the Global Times on Tuesday that if renting out a house is considered a tourist service business, approval would be needed from the local authorities. 

Meanwhile, unauthorized accommodation could pose risks for both hosts and guests, including property damage, personal safety hazards, and potential criminal activities.

For example, tourists may face the risk of suffering property and personal damage as a result of living in a house that does not have the necessary safety facilities for emergencies such as burglary or fire.

Renters who do not have the relevant occupancy management system may face the risk of renting their home to criminals who may commit illegal and criminal acts such as drug abuse, gambling, and prostitution in the house. In addition, they may also face the risk that the occupants could carry flammable, explosive, and other hazardous materials.

“The key to the door lock of the house is also easily duplicated,” Fan warned.
To address these concerns, Fan advised both parties to sign agreements in advance, register the contents of the house, and clarify the red lines of behavior. In case of disputes, collecting evidence in a timely manner and reporting it to the public security authorities or filing a lawsuit in court are recommended.