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Luna Sun

China’s strict Covid-related rules put a damper on spending and tourism over the week-long National Day break, with consumption and the number of travellers well down on the same time last year.
From October 1-7, 255.5 million people made trips in the country, a fall of 36.4 per cent from the National Day holiday last year, according to the Ministry of Transport.
The total was also 58.1 per cent down on the same period in 2019.
In addition, the number of people travelling by plane hit a four-year low of 4.95 million, a 46.8 per cent fall from 2021 and 62.7 percent drop from 2020, according to travel app Hangbanguanjia.


The holiday is one of three annual “golden week” breaks in China and is usually a time for millions of people to head out on trips around the country and spend on entertainment.
But this year people were urged to stay close to home and limit movement around cities to minimise the risk of the coronavirus spreading.
The restrictions are part of ever-tightening rules in the lead-up to the Communist Party’s five-yearly national congress, which starts next weekend.
With the pandemic in its third year, the tourism industry was again hard hit and struggling more than ever.
According to the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, 422 million trips were made during the week, down 18.2 per cent from 2021 and a 39.3 per cent drop from 2019.
Travel revenue also fell 26.2 per cent to 287 billion yuan, a 56 per cent fall on 2019.

Many tourist sites, including Zhangjiajie National Forest Park in Hunan province, Mount Lao in Shandong and the Wuyi Mountains in Fujian province, have offered free entry to visitors until the end of the year.
But there are limits on how much these offers can attract tourists from farther afield.
A number of travel agencies reported that tourists were mainly taking shorter trips to avoid uncertainty. Longer trips usually involve more spending on expenses such as travel and accommodation, while short trips are often arranged independently, with less revenue flowing through to the tourism industry.
Zhou Mingqi, founder of tourism consultancy Jingjian Consulting, said this year might have the bleakest National Day holiday for the travel industry.


The gloom was also apparent at the box office.
The National Day holiday is usually one of the most important times of the year for the domestic cinema industry, but this year the box office sales dropped dramatically.
According to ticketing platform Maoyan, revenue from cinemas across the country dropped by 66 per cent to 1.5 billion yuan during the week.


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Tourists soak up the sights Suzhou, Jiangsu province, on October 1, the first day of China’s week-long National Day holiday. Photo: Xinhua

Flags decorate a shopping district in Beijing over the National Day holiday. Photo: EPA-EFE

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More than 80,000 travellers were trapped in the Chinese resort city of Sanya during a Covid-19 lockdown in August. Photo: Xinhua 

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Travellers outside the Beijing Railway Station on Tuesday. Chinese have been urged to stay put during the “golden week” holiday. Photo: Bloomberg

Workers set up a flower installation in Beijing ahead of National Day on October 1. Photo: Reuters

People line up to get tested in Shanghai on Sunday. Photo: Reuters

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Residents and tourists queue for Covid tests in Hainan earlier this month. Photo: AFP

Tens of thousands of tourists were stranded in Sanya when Hainan suddenly went into lockdown earlier this month. Photo: Reuters

Tourists have started to leave Hainan, but some may fall foul of quarantine rules when they return home. Photo: AFP

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China

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China Economy


People are reluctant to take longer trips and go to to movies amid coronavirus uncertainty
This year’s National Day break could be the bleakest for the tourism industry, consultant says



This year’s National Day break could be the bleakest for the tourism industry, consultant says.


Covid qualms in China dampen ‘golden week’ holiday spending

People are reluctant to take longer trips and go to to movies amid coronavirus uncertainty This year’s National Day break could be the bleakest for the tourism industry, consultant says

People are reluctant to take longer trips and go to to movies amid coronavirus uncertainty

This year’s National Day break could be the bleakest for the tourism industry, consultant says