Guangdong cities empty during Lunar New Year as Chinese migrant workers head home for the holiday
Dongguan ranked top ‘ghost city’ as more than 70 per cent of residents leave town
Guangdong province experienced a mass exodus of its residents during Lunar Near Year, most of whom were migrant workers, with four of its cities ranking as China’s top “ghost cities” during the holiday.
One of Guangdong’s major industrial cities, Dongguan, ranked first in China’s empty cities during Lunar New Year, as close to 70 per cent of its population left town during the holiday, according to the Qihoo 360 Big Data Centre, one of China’s leading internet data centres.
Three other cities in the same province – Foshan, Guangzhou and Shenzhen – took the next three places on the list, all with more than 60 per cent of their residents away during Lunar New Year. Shanghai and Beijing each lost more than half of their population during the period.
Local newspaper Southern Daily reported Qihoo 360, a mainland software giant, compiled its “Ghost City Index” by tracking the locations of its users during the Lunar New Year travel rush.
Guangdong province is home to many manufacturing-heavy cities such as Dongguan and Foshan, which attract many migrant workers. These cities routinely experience major losses of population during major holidays, when residents either return to their home towns or go on trips.