Guests enjoy their stay at the homestay owned by Zhuang Yue, a former interior decorator, in Zhoupu town, Shanghai, which offers a spacious courtyard and recreation facilities. [Photo provided to China Daily]

On the rise

Homestays in Ningbo, Zhejiang, in Pingxiang and Shangrao, Jiangxi province, Huangshan, Anhui province, and Zhangjiajie, Hunan province, are the most popular nationwide.

In particular, camping-themed homestay numbers and bookings have risen since 2020, according to the 2022-27 report on government strategic management and regional development strategies for homestays issued by online research company ChinaIRN.

Liu Shaopeng recently enjoyed a camping trip with his family to the Fushanfang homestay in the western suburbs of Wanli district, Nanchang, Jiangxi.

"We hadn't traveled for a long time, and camping in the suburbs was a sort of makeshift choice. My son was perfectly happy and enjoyed making pottery and having barbecues," Liu said.

The homestay offered camping equipment, including tents, and Liu said the time spent there was extremely relaxing and enabled him and his family to fully appreciate the local scenery.

Xiong Jianqiao, who is in charge of marketing at the business, attributes its success to the fresh air and pristine environment, as well as themed activities.

"For example, we planned a forest opera, a fair and Frisbee event last month," Xiong said, adding that the idea was to spice up the experience for visitors in the hope they would prolong their stay.

The number of rural homestays offering camping experiences has risen sixfold this year compared with before the pandemic emerged, while bookings at these businesses have surged by 25 times, according to Tujia, a property rental platform and homestay operator.

Bookings peaked in the summer, with Beijing's Yanqing and Pinggu districts, Conghua and Huadu districts in Guangzhou, Guangdong province, and Wuzhong district, Suzhou, Jiangsu, among the top homestay destinations, Tujia reported.