Minding your own business

With a daily average of 370,000 visitors to the Expo, Shanghai's hotel industry is experiencing a boom that has seen some hotel rates more than double in the past few months. Despite the hefty increases, hotels remain almost fully booked, prompting many locals like Li to offer rooms for rent to earn some extra cash and help visitors enjoy Expo.

Li offered two single-room apartments in the vicinity of the Expo Garden in an online posting and had immediate results. He charges 150 to 240 yuan a night for one to four tenants, which is much cheaper than the average hotel rates. Both rooms have been booked to the end of August and even for periods in September and October, said Li.

Li also hands out free Expo information to his tenants. His hospitality and the quality of his rooms have won him rave reviews online and some visitors have even changed their schedules to book a night or two at his apartments.