Beijing, China - Nov 27-28, 2020 (CCTV - No access Chinese mainland)
1. Screen showing information about convention on homestay industry
2. Guest speaking at convention
3. Various of building, rooms in homestay
4. Various of homestay owner Ma Ying talking with visitor, making tea
5. SOUNDBITE (Chinese) Ma Ying, homestay owner:
"From March 31, when the government allowed us to reopen our business to the end of October, we earned sales revenue of close to 2 million yuan. In contrast, our half-year revenue last year was only about 800,000 yuan."
6. Homestay buildings
7. Visitors at homestay
8. Various of facilities in homestay
9. Various of locally grown produce
10. Various of courtyard homestay
11. Visitors in homestay
12. SOUNDBITE (Chinese) Zhang Haichao, homestay owner (partially overlaid with shot 13):
"The 20 courtyard houses that have been renovated in our village can receive about 300 visitors. We have formed business ties with local ski resorts, so that people coming to stay with us can have easy access to winter sports."
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13. Homestay entrance
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FILE: China - Exact Location and Date Unknown (CCTV - No access Chinese mainland)
14. Aerial shot of homestay in mountains
15. Various of homestay rooms, facilities

While the global tourism industry is struggling to adapt to the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, homestays in China are seeing increased business from domestic tourists opting for local weekend trips over international travel.

According to data from a homestay expo held in China’s capital Beijing on Nov 28-29, nearly 700 homestay hotels involving some 2,000 rural houses now operate their businesses in Beijing Municipality. Together, they’ve attracted nearly 10 billion yuan (about 96 million U.S. dollars) in investment, injecting new impetus into the city's rural economy.

Following the improvement of Beijing’s epidemic situation in the spring, homestays in the suburbs reopened to a surge of reservations, as local residents opted for staycations and weekend homestays instead of traveling outside the capital.

"From March 31, when the government allowed us to reopen our business to the end of October, we earned sales revenue of close to 2 million yuan. In contrast, our half-year revenue last year was only about 800,000 yuan," said Ma Ying, a business owner in Beijing’s Yanqing District.

Located in northwestern Beijing, Yanqing is home to several venues for the 2022 Winter Olympics. The district is preparing a batch of middle- and high-end homestays to increase its capacity to host visitors.

"The 20 courtyard houses that have been renovated in our village can receive about 300 visitors. We have formed business ties with local ski resorts, so that people coming to stay with us can have easy access to winter sports," said Zhang Haichao, another homestay owner.