The China branch of US-based lodging and short-term vacation rental provider Airbnb said on Tuesday it will suspend domestic operations on the Chinese mainland starting July 30 and shift its focus to outbound travel business.

Airbnb formally launched its Chinese mainland business in 2016 but has withdrawn because the "domestic segment is costly and complex to operate" and "the COVID-19 pandemic worsened these issues and heightened their impact," the company said in a statement. Stays on the Chinese mainland have accounted for approximately 1 percent of revenue in recent years, it added.

Airbnb said it expects outbound tourism from the Chinese mainland to rebound as borders reopen and COVID-19 subsides. Outbound travel has been a significant source of travel into other Asia-Pacific regions and the company will focus on providing listings for Chinese mainland travelers going abroad, it said.

Tujia, a Chinese short-term lodging rental platform said it will launch a fast review channel to help Airbnb hosts on the Chinese mainland upload rental information on Tujia as soon as possible.

fanfeifei@chinadaily.com.cn