Mainland tourism authorities have again defended the 'golden week' system by citing survey results to show most citizens need the seven-day breaks, Xinhua said yesterday.
Under the system introduced in 1999 to stimulate consumption, people have three seven-day holidays each year - Lunar New Year, Labour Day and National Day.
But in recent years, traffic chaos caused by flawed infrastructure, expensive transport and accommodation, and high accident rates have put many people off travelling during the golden weeks. This has prompted some deputies to the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference to suggest that authorities cancel them.
State media said in 2004 that state officials were considering cancelling the breaks, but tourism authorities later denied the reports.
State tourism head Wang Zhifa told Xinhua a survey conducted by China Central Television showed 60 per cent of respondents had made travel plans for the upcoming holidays, proving that 'the people need the golden weeks'.
He also said more than half the respondents agreed that government measures to protect people's safety during the holidays were improving. 'The holiday system is supported by the majority of the public.'
