Pretty Airbnb has two year waiting list despite guests being put to work

The Open Book a charming bookshop with a flat above so people can sleep upstairs and sell books downstairs, was set up by The Wigtown Festival Company in Scotland's National Book Town

Welcome to the world's only 'book shop Airbnb' where guests can spend the night and run the store during the day.

The Open Book is a delightful bookshop with an apartment above, allowing people to sleep upstairs and sell books downstairs. Located in Wigtown - Scotland's National Book Town - it offers book enthusiasts the opportunity to ''live their dream'' of owning their very own seaside shop. Airbnb describes it as ''the first ever bookshop holiday residency experience'' and it's so sought-after that it has a two-year waiting list from guests worldwide.

The Wigtown Festival Company established it with the aim ''to celebrate books, independent bookshops and welcome people from around the world ''. Since welcoming its first holidaymakers in August 2014, the charity-run Open Book Airbnb has become a sensation. More than 450 guests from all corners of the globe, including Hawaii and Beijing, have relished the unique experience of running their own bookshop. There is currently a two-year waiting list for those wishing to stay.

The Wigtown Festival site states: ''Live your dream of having your very own bookshop by the sea. Nestled in the pristine surroundings of Galloway, The Open Book is a charming bookshop and apartment, situated on the main street of Wigtown. A holiday home with a difference, it presents a unique opportunity for visitors to run a real bookshop at the heart of the town's vibrant community.

"The Open Book's aim is to celebrate books, independent bookshops and welcome people from around the world to Scotland's National Book Town. Booked through Airbnb, paying guests live in the self-catering apartment upstairs and run the bookshop below it for the duration of their stay.

"During their stay, guests are free to change displays, price books, re-categorise them, and make inventive use of the blackboard that entices visitors in to browse or chat. Some guests are happy to quietly run the bookshop, while others come with firmer plans and creative ideas!

"Bibliophiles, avid readers, kindred book lovers and adventure seekers from around the world come to Wigtown to experience the life of a second-hand bookshop owner in a remote Scottish town. Sea, highlands, native forests, amazing people and bookshops are just on our doorstep."

This week's guests are Daisy Yeung, 41, who journeyed from Hong Kong, and her secondary school friend, Lydia Man, 42. Daisy, a psychologist in a Hong Kong prison, discovered the unique Airbnb through an online blog. She shared: "So far we are enjoying it very, very much. "My dream to be a book seller one day, but since it is very hard to be a book seller and make enough money - we thought it would be fun to have a taste of it The weather here is really excellent this week, and everybody here is just so nice."

Despite purchasing a few books locally, Daisy confesses she's been too occupied with the shop to delve into them. She revealed: "The shop is quite busy to be honest! " Lydia, who relocated from Hong Kong to Nottingham three years ago, expressed her contentment, saying: "We are having a lovely time! It's a calming and nice place - and the book store looks really fantastic."

The duo had to come up with a theme for their book shop this week - and as today marks the Mid Autumn Festival in China, they've chosen to honour their cultural celebration at the book shop. Daisy explained: "Traditionally we Chinese people gather with our family and friends on this day and light up lanterns and eat something called moon cakes - which is what we have brought and are sharing with people today.''

Lydia, a supply chain worker, added: "We didn't bring a lot of things but we did bring moon cakes! The festival is a time for loved ones to come together and so we are sharing that with people here - trying to have a good time with the visitors and book lovers alike."

The shop is the brainchild of author and filmmaker Jessica Fox, contributing around £10,000 annually to the Wigtown Festival Company's charitable work. She explained: "I thought I couldn't be the only crazy American who dreams of working in a bookshop by the sea in Scotland, there has to be more of us. ''I wanted to create the same experience for those book-curious people who had the same dream of running a book shop for a week, and living upstairs. 'It is a success because of Wigtown, the volunteers who make the guests so welcome, the owners of the building, who believed in my idea.''".

Joyce Cochrane, the chief volunteer based at the nearby Old Bank Bookshop, shared: ''The Open Book has been a way of opening our doors to the world and because of that the world has been coming to Wigtown, and they love it."

This year's festival is scheduled to run from 27 September to 6 October.