Chongqing - Chongqing's booming tourism industry is driving a surge in online bookings, with an increasing number of travelers seeking flexible and personalized stays beyond traditional hotels. In response, apartment-style accommodations are gaining popularity, offering visitors a more homelike and adaptable experience.
Bridging News recently explored the new digital check-in system at Panda Mansion, a modern apartment complex in Chongqing's Yuzhong District, a popular area featuring attractions such as Hongyadong, Jiefangbei Pedestrian Street, and Ciqikou Ancient Town.
A seamless digital experience greets guests. With just a few taps on their phones, they can authenticate their identity via WeChat, then effortlessly swipe their ID cards to unlock and check into their rooms, making the check-in process as smooth as a breeze.
This system removes the need for front desk staff, providing a faster and more secure check-in process for guests. However, it introduces new challenges in property regulation and management, as individual homeowners or property management companies typically handle these rentals.
Guests can swipe their ID cards to unlock and check into their reserved rooms. (Photo/Yuzhong District)
Unlike traditional hotels, online-booked rooms lack consistency. Some hosts provide high-quality accommodations, while others offer substandard ones that don’t match descriptions. This has led to frequent disputes, with authorities often stepping in to resolve conflicts. Guests also face issues when properties don’t match photos or descriptions, causing dissatisfaction and complaints. As online bookings increase, authorities and platforms must address these issues and ensure reliable, safe accommodations for guests.
Located in Chongqing’s central Yuzhong District, Panda Mansion has 920 units—over 850 of which are used for online bookings and managed by 52 separate businesses. In response to the area's booming short-term rental market, the district launched a “one room, one code” initiative to enhance oversight.
The personal staff introduced the new digital check-in system at the Panda Mansion apartment complex in Yuzhong District, Chongqing. (Photo/Chen Zhan)
This system assigns a unique QR code to each room, which serves as a management tool for reporting, reviewing, and supervising online bookings. By utilizing this system, local authorities can more easily track properties, ensuring they meet the necessary safety standards and are appropriately managed.
Meanwhile, Yuzhong District introduced trial management measures for online-booked housing in late 2024, utilizing technologies such as big data and IoT to enhance supervision and safety. The public security department now leads oversight, with various government agencies collaborating to ensure that online properties meet safety and quality standards.
The public security department ensures online properties meet safety and quality standards. (Photo/Yuzhong District)
Last year, the CPPCC Chongqing Yuzhong District tackled online-booking housing issues by inspecting properties for safety risks and collecting feedback. The results were promptly shared with relevant departments, followed by a meeting to improve governance.
Wang Shu, a professional lawyer and member of the CPPCC Chongqing Yuzhong District, shared her experience of mediating disputes related to online-booked properties. Wang, who was involved in drafting the new management measures, emphasized the improvements in the management of online rental properties. She noted that the number of disputes between residents and property operators had significantly decreased, and the overall management of online rentals, including properties like Panda Mansion, had improved.
Yuzhong District is developing a digital platform to enhance public oversight of online bookings, enabling the quick reporting of issues and the faster handling of supervision data. The goal is to improve governance and support the sector’s sustainable, regulated growth.