In the market, when it comes to short-term rentals, international players include Homeaway and Airbnb, while domestic ones comprise Tujia and Xiaozhu. As a pioneer in the international short-term rental space, Zhubaijia has chosen a more niche market, specializing in providing overseas short-term rental services for Chinese outbound travelers. Zhang Hengde, founder and CEO of Zhubaijia, defines the company as: “Creating a home abroad for Chinese people.” With outbound travel becoming increasingly popular, helping Chinese people truly experience foreign cultures and lifestyles, and live like locals, is part of Zhubaijia’s vision of seeking common ground while preserving differences and achieving global harmony.
Currently, Zhubaijia is the international short-term rental apartment booking website with the largest number of overseas listings in the Chinese market. Established in 2012, it has thousands of properties in its inventory, spread across the globe—including Hong Kong & Taiwan, the United States, the United Kingdom, Australia, Thailand, Singapore, and more. Its offerings include city-center apartments, vacation villas, charming local homestays, and customized accommodations for overseas study camps and summer programs. Zhubaijia serves Chinese travelers heading to Hong Kong, Taiwan, and other international destinations. As a company with a strong sense of mission, Zhubaijia understands Chinese accommodation culture and needs better, respects Chinese habits, and is better equipped to serve Chinese outbound users.
Zhubaijia places special emphasis on the cultural experience aspect, encouraging interaction between users and hosts. Confucius’ “The Book of Rites · The Conveyance of Rites” once stated: “When the Grand Way prevails, the world is for all. The worthy and able are chosen, trust is promoted and harmony cultivated. Thus, scheming is suppressed, theft and disorder do not arise, and outer doors remain unshut—this is called Great Unity.” The ideal world humanity can ultimately achieve is one where everyone loves and helps one another, every family lives in peace and works happily, with no disparities or conflicts. In Zhubaijia’s product design, Chinese travelers can easily stay in local homes, be led by locals to explore the most distinctive aspects of life there, enjoy the most representative local cuisine together, share their joys, truly enter their world, drink and converse freely, and discuss life—this is Zhubaijia’s vision of global harmony.
Zhubaijia’s deep cultivation in the short-term rental field relies on a seasoned team behind it. CEO Zhang Hengde graduated from the Ross School of Business at the University of Michigan and was a senior executive at the 5i5j Group. The core members of the team come from well-known international short-term rental platforms and leading internet companies. Regarding this team composition, its investor Lenovo Stars stated, “International short-term rentals require extensive industry experience. We are optimistic about Zhubaijia’s professional team and market entry point. Zhubaijia is a company that highly values user experience and product reputation, and we believe they can establish their own brand in the short-term rental market.”
Lenovo Stars places great importance on a company’s brand positioning and industry vision, excelling at identifying and nurturing leading enterprises in the sector. This strategic partnership between Zhubaijia and Lenovo Stars is not only due to Zhubaijia’s high market share in international short-term rentals but also a concrete manifestation of the continuous capital recognition the short-term rental industry is receiving.
Zhang Hengde stated: “The new funding will primarily be used to further optimize the service system, maximize user experience, expand talent, and build the brand.”
Zhubaijia’s continuous efforts in the international short-term rental field have initially gained recognition from both capital and the market. As Chinese people venture abroad, Zhubaijia remains committed to serving them well, becoming a golden brand for Chinese outbound travelers.