China's Airbnb: Tujia, Meituan Homestays & Fliggy vs Airbnb — The 2025 Comparison
Airbnb entered China in 2015 but struggled to gain traction against well-established domestic platforms. In 2022, Airbnb closed its domestic Chinese operations (though Chinese users can still book international listings). China's short-term rental market is led by Tujia (the closest Airbnb equivalent), Meituan Homestays (leveraging Meituan's massive local services platform), and Fliggy Vacation Rentals (backed by Alibaba). China's domestic short-term rental market is valued at approximately 150 billion yuan.
TL;DR
Airbnb exited China's domestic market in 2022. Tujia has 1.2M+ listings and is China's largest homestay platform. Meituan Homestays leverages Meituan's 600M+ users for local vacation rentals. Airbnb still allows Chinese users to book international properties. Tujia focuses on standardized property management; Airbnb focuses on unique, host-driven experiences. China's short-term rental market is worth approximately 150 billion yuan annually.
Key Insights
Tujia: China's Home Rental Leader
Tujia is China's largest short-term rental platform with over 1.2 million active listings across 400+ cities. Unlike Airbnb's host-managed model, Tujia pioneered a standardized property management approach where Tujia manages many properties on behalf of owners, ensuring consistent quality and cleaning standards. Tujia offers apartments, villas, homestays, and unique properties. The platform has partnerships with major real estate developers and hotel groups.
Meituan Homestays: The Local Services Giant
Meituan Homestays benefits from Meituan's massive ecosystem of 600+ million users who already use the platform for food delivery, hotel booking, and local services. This integration means users discover vacation rentals alongside restaurant recommendations and travel services. Meituan's advantage is its deep local knowledge and review system. Meituan reported total revenue of 336 billion yuan in 2024, though homestay revenue is not separately disclosed.
Airbnb: The Global Homestay Pioneer
Airbnb is the world's largest short-term rental platform with over 8 million active listings across 220+ countries and regions. Airbnb reported $9.9 billion in revenue for 2024 with $4.8 billion in net income. While Airbnb closed its domestic Chinese operations in 2022, Chinese travelers can still use Airbnb to book international properties. Airbnb's brand, review system, and Experiences platform remain unmatched globally. Airbnb's exit from China was attributed to regulatory complexity, intense local competition, and the impact of China's zero-COVID policy.
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Feature | Tujia / Meituan Homestays | Airbnb |
|---|---|---|
| Active Listings | 1.2M+ (Tujia) | 8M+ (global) |
| China Domestic Service | Yes (market leaders) | No (exited 2022) |
| Property Management | Tujia manages many properties | Host-managed (self-service) |
| Superhost Equivalent | Tujia Select | Superhost program |
| Booking Model | Platform + managed | Self-service marketplace |
| Integration | Meituan local services ecosystem | Standalone + Google Maps |
| International Properties | Limited | 220+ countries |
| Revenue (2024) | Not separately disclosed | $9.9 billion |
| App in China | Available on Chinese app stores | Limited (international booking only) |
| Trust/Safety | ID verification (mandatory in China) | Review system + verified ID |
Frequently Asked Questions
Airbnb closed its domestic Chinese operations in May 2022 after seven years of struggle. Key reasons included: (1) Intense competition from Tujia and Meituan which had deeper local market knowledge; (2) China's complex regulatory environment for short-term rentals; (3) The zero-COVID policy devastated domestic travel; (4) Airbnb's brand had limited recognition among Chinese travelers who preferred domestic platforms; (5) China's unique property market and home-sharing culture differed significantly from Western markets. Chinese users can still book international Airbnb listings.
Tujia is structurally similar to Airbnb but operates differently. While Airbnb is a marketplace connecting guests with individual hosts, Tujia takes a more hands-on approach by managing many properties itself (cleaning, key handover, quality control). This model suits the Chinese market where many property owners prefer passive income without the hassle of hosting. Tujia also offers standardized apartment-style stays, whereas Airbnb emphasizes unique, personality-driven properties.
Yes, Chinese tourists can still use Airbnb to book properties outside of China. However, the Airbnb China app was removed from Chinese app stores after the domestic exit. Chinese users need to access Airbnb through international app stores or the web version. Payment can be made with international credit cards or through Apple Pay. For domestic travel within China, Tujia, Meituan Homestays, and Fliggy are the primary options.
Tujia and Meituan Homestays generally offer lower prices than Airbnb's previous China listings, typically ranging from 100-500 yuan per night depending on city and property type. Meituan often has promotional discounts and bundle deals with other travel services. Tujia's managed properties may be slightly more expensive than independent listings but offer more consistent quality. Peak season pricing (Chinese holidays like National Day and Spring Festival) can be 2-3 times normal rates across all platforms.
The three main alternatives are: (1) Tujia — best for standardized apartment stays and villa rentals with professional management; (2) Meituan Homestays — best for discovering local properties alongside restaurant and activity bookings; (3) Fliggy Vacation Rentals (Alibaba) — best for travelers already in the Alibaba ecosystem (Fliggy travel, Alipay). For boutique and high-end homestays, platforms like Xiaozhu and Zhubajie also serve niche segments.