It wasn't immediately clear why this burger restaurant in Beijing was special. Then Danny, the Airbnb host, explained a 1,000-year-old legend of how donkey meat became popular as beasts of burden were captured during a salt smuggling affair. The burger arrived at the table, fried green peppers mixed with actual donkey meat, served on a shao bing, a flaky bread.

It was not your everyday American-style burger.

For locals, it may seem like typical street food, but for Western travelers, the experience is unique and not necessarily something they'd seek out on their own. Thanks to Airbnb's Experiences, services offered by the home-sharing platform, getting closer to Chinese culture is becoming easier.

San Francisco-based Airbnb is revving up its presence in China, having reported 131 percent growth in the country at the end of 2018. President of Airbnb China, Tao Pang, predicts that China will be the company's largest market by 2020.

While not the only home-sharing platform, Airbnb distinguishes itself by offering experiences, begun in November 2016 and launched in China in 2017. In Beijing alone, there are already more than 70 experiences catering to English-speakers, with over 1,000 across China, Peng said. From local beer tastings and calligraphy courses to kung fu lessons and hutong photo shoots, visitors can partake in a wide range of tours and workshops with locals. There is even a hike offered with a family who cares for stray dogs, bringing attention to China's canine population.

Danny, originally from Dalian in northeast China's Liaoning Province, has spent 25 years in Beijing and hosts several experiences on Airbnb. He started in December as a way to boost his fledgling tour company, a project to keep him busy after retirement in the future.

"For my own website, I spent a few months thinking about what kind of tours I should do. On Airbnb, it's easier. You just put some pictures and some introduction and it's done," he said.

On one of his newer experiences, entitled "Street Food Safari," he accompanies tourists through the streets of Beijing, introducing them to foods in places they may not otherwise go. He meets guests at a subway station and takes them to four or five stops over a two-hour tour. Dumplings, pork sandwiches, sesame cakes, and green bean broth are just some of the things guests might sample. The donkey burger is a highlight for those who wish to try it. Danny explains that the Chinese have a saying, “In heaven there is dragon meat, on Earth there is donkey meat.”

Danny, working independently, tailors experiences to guests as needed, even developing tasting tours for vegetarians. "At the beginning, I wasn't familiar with this sort of tour," he said, "but I got feedback from the guests. They attended different tours and gave me suggestions." He has worked in the food business and spent several years in the United States, helping him bring the English skills and hospitality needed to lure Western travelers.

While pork liver soup and donkey burgers may not seem appealing on paper, Danny wants to bring his guests a sense of adventure. The street food experience is just one of many ways Airbnb is making tourism easier in China for Westerners.

The United Nations World Tourism Organization lists China as the world's fourth most popular destination, though some reports project it could take the number one spot by 2030. At the same time, a host of Chinese offerings are also targeting domestic travelers. Tourism industry news source Skift reported that some 400 million Chinese millennials, a target market for Airbnb, will help the brand expand in China.

Most of Danny's guests, at the moment, are from the U.S. or Europe, from a chateau-owning family in France to Michelin star chefs in New York. "I don't travel, but meeting different guests is like traveling with different people on my tours," he said. 

He plans on launching a bike excursion among his offerings, which already include a Great Wall trip and a noodle tour, looking to share his passions with travelers as the tourism season kicks into high gear this year.

(Cover image: donkey burgers in Beijing /Bryan Pirolli)