Topic
The Chinese "golden week" refers either of the two week-long holidays around National Day on October 1, and the lunar calendar Spring Festival which usually falls in January or February of each year. Tens of millions of Chinese travel by air, train and road to family reunions, vacations or shopping centres during these holidays.
The city can celebrate the return of economic growth after such hard times, but with the increase in visitors it has to remain competitive.
With so many people in the city relying on tourism commerce, the “golden week” holiday offers Hong Kong a chance to showcase its unique appeal.
Any answer must come hand in hand with supporting measures to cushion the impact on the economy and help vulnerable sectors get back on their feet.
Look beyond the goose-stepping troops and nuclear missiles of China’s National Day parade, however, and it is clear the Communist Party has its work cut out for it to make the country a true superpower.
President’s recent remarks meant to cool debate on fate of private sector send clear signal for city while US-China trade war rolls on.
Here is the question: if your government decreed that, starting from September 16, you will work for three days then have a three-day holiday; go back to work for six days, then take a day off; work two more days followed by a seven-day holiday; then work for another five days before taking yet another day off, what would you say? Probably that your government is bonkers.
- New life insurance policy sales to mainland visitors rose to HK$9.61 billion (US$1.23 billion) in the first quarter, up from HK$345 million a year earlier
- Overall new life insurance sales rose 10.7 per cent year on year in the first quarter to HK$47 billion
A government campaign to tempt holidaymakers with grilled meat has buoyed revenue and raised hopes of an economic transformation.
Tour group from mainland e-commerce company Yobesta say they plan to hit high-end stores for luxury items.
Hainan, a tourist hub and shopping mecca at the southern tip of China, saw disappointing retail sales during the country’s first ‘golden week’ holiday since Covid-19 restrictions were lifted.
The Star Ferry Pier Ferris wheel in Central tops the poll for favourite tour group attraction, followed by Ocean Park.
Tourism figures from February to this month show 86 per cent of tour trips from mainland China lasted one to two days and 54 per cent cost less than 500 yuan.
Macau’s casino industry is caught off guard by the massive influx of tourists from a newly-reopened China, as a dire labour shortage has the gaming hub scrambling to satiate demand.
During the five-day May Day holiday last week, long queues and crowds were seen at the country’s theme parks, a sign they have become ‘early beneficiaries’ of a tourism recovery after Beijing abandoned its tough pandemic restrictions.
Domestic tourism revenues jumped to 101 per cent of pre-pandemic levels during the five-day ‘golden week’ holiday in China, but analysts have warned the explosion of pent-up demand might not be sustainable.
The five-day ‘golden week’ unleashed a tourism frenzy in mainland China as frustrated travellers cast off the shackles of Covid-19 and flew further afield and in far greater numbers than at any time in the last three years.
Operators enjoy stronger-than-expected figures compared with same period last month as mainland Chinese tourists flock to city during holiday.
Hotels in China have hit the jackpot during the five-day holiday with a huge surge in post-pandemic demand allowing them to raise their room prices more than tenfold in some cases.
Trip.com, among the top picks by analysts in consumption recovery play, will need a strong tailwind from China’s golden week holiday spending to give its shares a much-needed tonic.
Records set in opening days of national holiday as millions embrace the chance to travel and shop after years of Covid-19 restrictions.
After Covid-19 devastation, business owners are seizing the chance to entice an influx hundreds of thousands of visitors during the week-long holiday.
Hotel room rates in Hong Kong surged ahead of the long holiday.
The government and businesses rolled out new attractions, services and sales as the island province saw a 15 per cent increase in long-haul bookings last month, according to an agency.
Many purchases came from investors, but mainlanders were not prominent among buyers of the University Hill project, agents said.
Lo Wu crossing is most popular entry point, recording 58,251 arrivals, followed by 55,055 at Lok Ma Chau spur line.
Chief Secretary Eric Chan announces more than 33,000 applications made through variety of talent recruitment schemes by middle of April.
The government will no longer require arrivals to present vaccination records or a negative coronavirus test taken within 72 hours of departure.
Victim was semi-conscious when he was carried into ambulance, police say.
Up to 500 buyers will be competing for each unit as the University Hill development hits the market on Saturday, with discounted prices in place and amid a surge of Chinese visitors in the city.
Zibo in Shandong province has become the latest mainland Chinese city to put a cap on hotel room rates ahead of the upcoming holiday, also referred to as ‘golden week’, limiting the increase to 50 per cent.
Police insider says high-profile policing ‘deterrent’ to thieves and that undercover officers will also patrol crime hotspots.
