So she began offering glamping for her customers in April, and it has proved to be a hit.
As Shanghai, Jiangsu and Zhejiang resumed in-province travel in April, short-distance travel, especially to rural places, has seen explosive growth.
"Urban travelers who had stayed in for months were desperate to get into the country for some fresh air," Si says.
"Glamping provides the opportunity to get close to nature and enjoy outdoor activities and it appeals to white-collar urban residents."
Si says that she wanted to explore camping when Airbnb encouraged homestay providers to offer various experience-based programs years ago.
After getting tents and auxiliary equipment and reaching agreements with such camping site partners as Qianxiaoju Creative Farm and Changxing Island Country Park in Shanghai, Si opened her own Morning Glamping brand.
She provides full camping kits, including outdoor lamps and barbecue grills.
Yoga, bonfire parties and open-air cinemas are available to spice up the traveler experience.
Prices range from around 499 yuan to 899 yuan a night.
"We were fully booked in May," Si says, adding that orders are steady now, with monthly booking rate at about 80 percent on average.
To date, Si has opened five facilities in Shanghai and Beijing.
At the same time, Si and her team are working to promote glamping culture across the country.
"We're in talks about projects in the north and the south of the country," Si says.
She hopes that guests will eventually enjoy camping to the extent that they would bring their own stuff and set up their stay from scratch.
Contact the writer at yangfeiyue@chinadaily.com.cn
