Overseas Media: China’s May Day Holiday Witnesses Travel Boom

According to media reports from various sources, including Kyodo News, Reuters, Nikkei Asian Review, and South China Morning Post, China’s five-day May Day holiday started on April 29. Following the adjustment of COVID-19 prevention measures, domestic tourism demand has fully recovered, and China is expected to experience a record-breaking travel peak.

Data from China National Railway Group Co., Ltd. shows that within the eight-day period until May 4, the number of railway passengers in China is expected to reach approximately 120 million, a 20% increase compared to the same period in 2019. According to the data from China’s civil aviation department, it is projected that the number of air passengers during the May Day holiday will reach approximately 9 million, surpassing the domestic passenger volume of the same period in 2019.

Starting from April 29, inbound travelers to China can use antigen self-testing within 48 hours before boarding as an alternative to nucleic acid testing. Airlines no longer verify testing certificates before boarding.

According to data from Ctrip, domestic hotel and flight bookings have exceeded the levels of 2019. The data also reveals that the proportion of bookings for long-distance trips is close to 70%.

Tickets for many popular attractions nationwide have already sold out. Booking websites for attractions such as Beijing’s Old Summer Palace and Badaling Great Wall indicate that tickets for the first few days of the Labor Day holiday have been sold out.

Not only traditional tourist destinations like Beijing and Shanghai but also lesser-known cities like Zibo in Shandong Province, which is famous for its barbecue, have gained attention. According to the Zibo Municipal Bureau of Culture, Radio, Television and Tourism, hotel rooms in the city were fully booked on May 1. The relevant authorities have also issued reminders through social media, advising tourists to prepare in advance for traffic congestion and long queues.

Furthermore, a large number of mainland tourists flocked to Hong Kong’s West Kowloon Station on the first day of the Labor Day “Golden Week.” The Hong Kong Tourism Board estimated that there would be 600,000 mainland visitors during the May Day holiday.

Commentaries from the media indicate that with the adjustment of epidemic prevention policies, there is a positive trend in consumption in sectors such as catering and tourism. According to data from the National Bureau of Statistics of China, the total retail sales of consumer goods increased by 5.8% year-on-year in the first quarter, with catering consumption seeing a significant growth of 13.9%, playing a driving role.

McKinsey & Company also noted that retail sales, dining out, tourism, and real estate purchases in China have shown a strong recovery momentum in the first quarter of this year.

Retail sales grew by 4.9% in the first quarter of this year, with March’s retail sales increasing by 9.1% year-on-year. People have resumed dining out in restaurants and bars, with this category experiencing a 13.9% growth in consumption in the first quarter, and a 26.3% growth in March.

Research on consumer spending reveals that compared to the same period last year, spending on clothing has shown the strongest growth in the first quarter, while food (7.5%) and cosmetics (5.9%) also experienced good growth.

McKinsey & Company believes that the strong first-quarter performance sets a positive momentum for the second quarter, leading to a consensus that China’s domestic gross domestic product (GDP) is expected to grow by around 6% this year.