Residents offer their homes to tourists in need

As accommodation reached full capacity during the May Day holiday rush in Xuan'en County of central China’s Hubei Province, one stranded tourist turned to the local culture and tourism bureau for help and ended up spending a night at the home of the bureau’s director, according to Jimu News.

On May 2, a woman surnamed Wang and her family from the province’s Yichang city embarked on a spontaneous road trip to Xuan'en County in Enshi Tujia and Miao Autonomous Prefecture.

The group of four quickly found every hotel and guesthouse was fully booked. After making more than 10 unsuccessful inquiries, Wang dialed the hotline of the county’s culture and tourism bureau.

That night, Wang and her family were offered free accommodation — not in a hotel, but in the home of the bureau’s very own director, Wang Jufang.

In response to the shortage of accommodation, the bureau launched a heartwarming initiative, calling on staff and local residents to open their homes to stranded tourists. The idea was met with overwhelming support. Staff members also turned to local WeChat groups to seek available rooms from residents. More than 30 tourists found a place to stay in local homes on the night of May 2.

Wang appreciated the hospitable gesture and said they’ll definitely come back.

The Xianshan-Gongshui Tourist Area in Xuan'en County experienced a remarkable increase in visitor numbers over the May Day holiday. From May 1-2, the scenic area welcomed approximately 239,700 tourists, marking a year-on-year increase of 76.64 percent.

To accommodate the influx of visitors, Xuan'en County also set up 100 emergency beds at a local stadium on May 3, providing free beds and daily necessities.