Homestays turn popular with tourists during Spring Festival

Online shared accommodation booking platforms are forecasting significant growth during the upcoming Spring Festival holiday, driven by the fast-growing middle and high-income group, and the increasing popularity of homestays as a novel form of accommodation.

United States-based Airbnb Inc estimated that Chinese mainland travelers will travel to 1,048 cities in 111 countries and regions during this year's festival, and that Asia-Pacific countries and regions will be the most popular overseas destinations.

Japan, Thailand, New Zealand, Australia, the US and South Korea are expected to continue to attract the most Chinese visitors, while niche tourist destinations such as Iceland have also joined the list of top travel spots.