Dapeng issues compliance guide for homestay sector

The Dapeng New Area government recently published the operation guidelines, a city-first, sector-specific document aimed at steering local homestay operators toward lawful, safer and more standardized business practices.

The guidelines offer comprehensive, practical instructions covering the core stages of homestay operations — market entry, routine management, and business exit — and are framed as a systematic “compliance handbook” for hosts and small lodging enterprises. The measure is said to have been designed to raise operators’ awareness of legal and operational obligations, strengthen compliance management, mitigate business risks, and accelerate the industry’s move toward greater standardization, improved quality, and higher-end positioning.

Privacy protection is highlighted as a key area. The guide requires homestay operators to conduct regular room inspections and cleaning to prevent the illicit installation of hidden recording or voyeur devices. Such preventive steps are intended to reduce disputes with guests and limit operators’ exposure to civil liability arising from privacy breaches.

The guidelines also contain detailed protections for minors. Homestays are instructed to verify the identity of any minor guest, accurately register and report relevant information, and record contact details for parents or other guardians. Operators should document the relationships of co-residents when minors are present, enhance safety patrols and visitor management to guard against offenses targeting minors, and take immediate action if they find a minor who is injured, coerced, intoxicated, or otherwise incapacitated. In such cases, operators must promptly notify public security authorities, implement protective measures on site, and contact the minor’s parents or guardians without delay.