Home-sharing company Xiaozhu expands online business for booming tourism sector

Chinese online home-sharing company Xiaozhu announced the expansion of its online business to other accommodation services to meet diversified demand from the booming tourism sector.

Xiaozhu rebranded itself from home-sharing only to a platform with a well-rounded ecosystem, which covers more business related to traveling, including housekeeping and home interior photography.

"The move marks our push to step out of the comfort zone as we aim to become a home-sharing provider with more featured services with high-quality," said Chen Chi, co-founder and CEO of Xiaozhu.

According to the State Information Center, nearly 80 million Chinese consumers chose home-sharing last year while a survey by Xiaozhu found that half of its users born in the 1980s and 1990s have experienced featured services, including inns, in the same period.

The company said earlier it saw demand for cleaners and photography services soar last year. The number of cleaners and amateur photographers on its platform surpassed 6,100.

Founded in 2012, Xiaozhu raised $300 million in its latest round of financing last year and is locked in fierce competition with Airbnb and other domestic players in China.