Shanghai might organize local residents to provide homestays during the 2010 World Expo, a tourism official said Tuesday.

New regulations allow tourism bureaus to work with township, government and urban communities to offer homestays during important holidays, sports events and exhibitions, said Dao Shuming, head of the Shanghai Tourism Bureau.

Shanghai had 6.4 million overseas visitors last year, and the tourism industry was valued at 206 billion yuan (about 30 billion U.S. dollars).

(Xinhua News Agency June 24, 2009)