On August 7, 2026, Nanlong Community in Nan'ao, Dapeng New District, Shenzhen, jointly held a specialized training session on accommodation industry management with the Nan'ao Police Station. Targeting nearly a hundred accommodation operators from the two major homestay clusters of Haibei Bay and Yangchou Bay in the jurisdiction, the session provided targeted empowerment on core topics including guest accommodation registration, management of minors' stays, and protection of guest privacy. Amid the peak summer tourism season, this initiative not only regulates industry order but also reflects the deep-seated needs of Shenzhen's homestay industry in terms of legal compliance. As a lawyer who has long focused on cultural and tourism legal services, I believe that the legal issues behind this training deserve careful consideration by every operator: from the registration obligations under the Public Security Administration Punishments Law, to the mandatory reporting system under the Law on the Protection of Minors, and further to the privacy boundaries under the Personal Information Protection Law, homestay compliance has shifted from a "soft recommendation" to a "hard requirement." This article will, from a lawyer's perspective, combine

Accommodation Registration: More Than Just a Form — A Legal Obligation and Safety Bottom Line

Guest accommodation registration is the cornerstone of hotel industry management and the primary content of this training. According to Article 56 of the Public Security Administration Punishments Law, hotel industry staff who fail to register the names, types of identification documents, and identification numbers of lodging guests in accordance with regulations shall be fined not less than 200 yuan but not more than 500 yuan; where circumstances are serious, they shall be detained for not more than five days and may also be fined not more than 500 yuan. As a pilot demonstration zone, Shenzhen implements stricter standards for accommodation registration enforcement, and public security organs may conduct real-time verification through the hotel industry public security management information system.

In practice, homestay operators often simplify procedures due to "scanning codes for registration being too troublesome" or "regular customers finding it cumbersome," but this behavior harbors huge risks. For example, if guest information is not registered and leads to an inability to track criminals or lawbreakers, operators not only face administrative penalties but may also bear civil liability for failing to fulfill safety obligations. Lawyers suggest that homestays should be equipped with dedicated registration devices to ensure "identity verification matching the person," and establish paper ledger backups in case of system failures. In addition, for guests from Hong Kong, Macao, Taiwan, and foreign nationals, information must be reported to public security authorities within 24 hours in accordance with the Exit and Entry Administration Law. Compliant registration is not only a legal obligation but also the first line of defense for the safe operation of a homestay.

Minor Check-ins: Red Lines and Practical Operations Under the Mandatory Reporting System

Management of minors' hotel check-in was the core focus of this training and represents the highest legal risk area. Article 59 of the 2021 revised Law on the Protection of Minors stipulates that when lodging operators such as hotels, guesthouses, and inns accommodate minors, they must verify their identity information and ask for the contact information of their parents or other guardians. If they discover that a minor has abnormal physical conditions, appears nervous, or is suspected of having been harmed, they must immediately report to the public security authorities. Typical cases released by the Supreme People's Procuratorate in 2023 show that in multiple localities, hotel operators failed to fulfill their obligation to inquire and report, resulting in minors being harmed, and the operators were held criminally liable in accordance with the law.

Homestay operators in Shenzhen need to pay special attention to the following: first, for minors checking in alone, they must contact their guardians for confirmation; second, for groups of multiple people staying together with unclear identity relationships, they should remain vigilant; third, they should establish a registration form for abnormal situations involving minors staying at their property, recording the inquiry process. In practice, many homestays ignore their reporting obligations out of fear of offending guests, unaware that this may constitute "accessory liability by omission" under the Criminal Law. Lawyers emphasize that mandatory reporting is not "meddling in others' business" but a "safety valve" established by law. It is recommended that operators provide regular training to front desk staff, ensure they are familiar with reporting procedures, and establish a direct communication mechanism with the local police station to ensure suspicious situations are reported within 30 minutes.

Traveler Privacy Protection: Data Compliance Obligations of Homestays under the Personal Information Protection Law

Privacy protection for travelers is a new challenge in the digital era. The Personal Information Protection Law, implemented in 2021, classifies accommodation information as sensitive personal information, requiring operators to follow the "informed consent" principle, with the scope of collection limited to the minimum necessary information needed to fulfill service purposes. Guesthouses in Nanao, Shenzhen, often receive orders through OTA platforms, and traveler information frequently flows through third parties, increasing the risk of data breaches. For example, in 2024, a guesthouse was heavily fined under Article 66 of the Personal Information Protection Law after an employee leaked guest check-in records, and those responsible were pursued for criminal liability.

Lawyer's reminder: homestay operators must do the following: first, sign a data protection agreement with the platform to clearly define responsibilities; second, strictly restrict internal access to guest information, prohibiting employees from privately viewing or disseminating it; third, when installing cameras in public areas, they must avoid private spaces such as guest rooms and bathrooms, and set up prominent warning signs. In addition, after guests check out, their accommodation records should be kept in accordance with regulations but not beyond the prescribed period, and when destroyed, they must be ensured to be unrecoverable. Privacy compliance is not only about the risk of fines, but also directly affects the reputation of the homestay—in the era of social media, a single privacy incident is enough to destroy the brand credibility accumulated over many years.

Compliant Operations and Cultural Tourism Branding: A Win-Win Path to Legal Risk Prevention and Control

The training at Nanlong Community exemplifies the standardization process of Shenzhen's homestay industry. From a legal perspective, compliant operation is not a burden but a core competitive advantage for brand premium. As a popular tourist destination, Shenzhen has a highly competitive homestay industry, and travelers are increasingly concerned about safety and privacy experiences. A homestay that strictly implements registration, reporting, and privacy protection systems is more likely to earn high ratings and repeat customers. Conversely, legal risk incidents not only lead to administrative penalties but may also trigger civil compensation and reputational damage.

Lawyers advise that homestay operators should establish a "compliance toolkit of three essentials": first, develop a "Guest Stay Safety Management System" to clearly define responsibilities for each position; second, conduct legal training quarterly, especially practical drills for front-desk staff; third, retain legal counsel to carry out regular compliance reviews and update policies promptly in response to regulatory changes. As a coastal cultural tourism landmark, the compliance level of Dapeng New Area's homestay cluster will directly affect the value of the regional brand. In the future, with the improvement of local legislation such as the "Shenzhen Special Economic Zone Tourism Regulations," compliance standards for homestays will only become higher. Operators should view legal compliance as a long-term investment rather than a short-term cost, so as to achieve steady and sustained growth amid intense market competition.

Conclusion: Compliance Insights for Homestays from a Lawyer's Perspective

This Nanshan tourism industry training may appear to be a routine police-community collaboration activity, but it in fact reflects the inevitable trend of Shenzhen's homestay industry transitioning from rough expansion to refined, law-based development. For homestay operators, issues such as accommodation registration, minor protection, and privacy compliance are no longer "clauses on paper" but "practical rules of survival." The law does not exempt liability due to "lack of awareness"; only by internalizing compliance awareness into every detail of daily operations can risks be effectively avoided. Guangdong Zhiming Law Firm has long focused on legal practice in the culture and tourism industry and can provide homestay operators with full-process legal services ranging from license application and compliance review to dispute resolution. If you encounter specific legal issues in your operations, you are welcome to consult professional lawyers. Let us work together to safeguard the law-based development of Shenzhen's coastal boutique homestays.