Ready to rise and shine

"We will continue to invest in China and do all we can to support our community of hosts there. We have confidence in China's strong capabilities to win the battle," Airbnb's co-founder and chief strategy officer Nathan Blecharczyk says.

Starting from February, Alibaba's online travel-service provider, Fliggy, has waived service fees for merchants in Wuhan, including minsu owners, for six months and those in other regions for three months.

Fliggy recently announced that it's striving to help merchants on the platform use livestreaming and marketing.

Over 110 minsu owners on Fliggy recently established a livestreamers' alliance.

"Our livestream project allows merchants to build their brands and attract potential consumers to prepare for when people are ready to travel after the epidemic," says Xu Xiang, who's in charge of Fliggy's livestreaming.

Zhao from Shuanglang sees it as an opportunity.

"As our lodging business is idle, we're trying to promote the lifestyle of minsu and sales of local specialties using online short videos and livestreams," he says.

Yang Honghao, head of the China Tourism Academy's tourism industry institute, says the epidemic has affected all sectors of the industry.

He says the temporary closing of minsu also affects their suppliers, such as farmers who sell fresh vegetables to hosts in rural areas.

"Chinese tourists' demand for minsu will not change, but it will take time to restore the market after the epidemic. I think minsu in the countryside will recover earlier than that in the city," he says.

"After being quarantined at home for such a long time, many Chinese would be eager to encounter nature, fresh air and pretty scenery."