Recently, a news report titled "200,000 Elderly from China's Three Northeastern Provinces Will Head to Sanya, Hainan for Winter This Year" has become a focal point of public attention. According to media reports, attracted by Sanya’s warm climate, 200,000 elderly people from the three northeastern provinces will travel to Sanya for the winter this year. For these "snowbird" elderly who stay for about half a year, accommodation is the most challenging issue they face. To help these elderly ease this difficulty, Tujia.com has promptly launched a long-term rental project in Hainan, leveraging its own strengths to maximally meet the vacation and recuperation needs of the elderly.
As is well known, for the average family unfamiliar with Hainan’s rental market, choosing a place to stay for the winter can be a challenge. Issues such as the quality of the neighborhood environment, available amenities, inconsistent property listings, and other difficult decision-making factors come into play. Additionally, long-term rentals of over a month require the preparation of daily necessities and small household appliances. These are all key considerations when making a choice, and many families feel unable to confidently select a suitable winter home due to one concern or another. The challenges of communicating over long distances, bargaining with landlords or agents, and the lack of trust and security are also significant concerns. Moreover, whether there will be someone to look after them upon arrival in Hainan, and whether there are supporting healthcare facilities, are additional reasons that deter many families. If a good rental property isn’t found, or if it doesn’t match what was previously communicated, the filial intentions of their children may instead become a source of complaint for the elderly.
According to Chen Yuying, General Manager of Platform Operations at Tujia.com: "Many families choose to buy property in Hainan and stay there during the winter, but this isn’t suitable for most families. Moreover, Hainan’s hot and humid climate means that unattended homes may face issues such as plumbing problems, mold, and furniture deterioration upon reuse. Tujia’s origins lie in identifying this market gap in Hainan and undertaking property management and custodial operations for idle housing. Tujia owns the hotel management company 'Stays by Stays,' which operates according to international standards in all aspects, including property selection, home setup and amenities, safety assurance, and pricing systems. In terms of experience, once you’ve selected a property online, you can truly move in with just your luggage. In this newly launched long-term rental project, there are also featured services such as hot spring resorts and seaside resorts, providing the elderly with comprehensive spaces for leisure, entertainment, and socializing. Additionally, these resorts offer security services and regular cleaning, all of which address the inconveniences of living away from home for the elderly."
The reporter learned that Tujia is a proponent of a new lifestyle rooted in the "sharing economy" and is a leading enterprise in China’s vacation rental industry. Tujia’s model aims to revitalize idle properties, provide homeowners with property management, custodial, and exchange services, and offer consumers more cost-effective vacation accommodation products through internet and mobile internet platforms. The winter long-term rental market had already been tentatively explored in 2013, and even without any promotion, it had already attracted a large number of winter guests from the Northeast, Beijing, Chengdu, Chongqing, Guiyang, and other places. Compared to 2013, this year’s scale has expanded from Sanya to the entire Hainan island—for example, vacation apartments in Haikou, Wenchang, and other areas. These locations offer the same island air and temperatures as Sanya, but with cheaper prices and fewer tourists, making them a more economical winter option.
It is understood that Tujia.com has not only launched a long-term rental project in Sanya, but also in other famous winter-friendly tourist destinations such as Xiamen, Xishuangbanna, Dali, and Tengchong. This means that "snowbird" elderly have more options when choosing a winter city. For those preparing to spend the winter in Sanya, besides long-term rentals, Tujia also offers hot spring resort projects. These resorts feature comprehensive amenities such as senior universities and fitness centers, along with hotel-style managed safety guarantees, with minimum prices as low as 1,700 RMB per month.
"Tujia has been continuously improving the experience for the 'snowbird' elderly group. Recently, we have also partnered with healthcare institutions to provide specialized health and medical services for the elderly, eliminating the worries of those living far from home," the spokesperson added.