Travel News
- May Day Golden Week may be canceled
Date: 9-Oct-2007 Sources: (Shenzhen Daily)
THE Chinese Government may cancel one of its three Golden Week holidays to ease traffic and relieve the burden upon the environment caused by 1.3 billion Chinese people taking a holiday at the same time.
The Hong Kong-based Wen Wei Po reported yesterday that the May Day holiday is the most likely to be cut.
The newspaper's report quoted an official from the State Tourism Administration in the wake of numerous complaints and appeals from domestic residents.
China now has three weeklong holidays for the Spring Festival, May Day and National Day.
The official told Wen Wei Po that discussions on a proposal to reform weeklong holidays have 'reached final stage?and the plan will come into effect once it gets approval from the National People's Congress.
Scholars and residents have said the Golden Week holidays have turned into logistical nightmares as millions of people hit the road at the same time, and have called for change.
Abolishing the holidays might be unfeasible but staggering them and allowing people to go away on vacation at different times of the year could be possible, they say.
Previous reports said the Dragon Boat Festival and the Mid-autumn Festival may be listed as statutory holidays.
The first Golden Week holiday began on National Day, or Oct. 1, 1999, partly aimed at stimulating economic growth.
Domestic scenic spots harvested 14.1 billion yuan (US$1.88 billion) from up to 28 million people traveling around China during the first Golden Week holiday, while the figures soared to 350 billion yuan over the past National Day holiday.
The number of people stopping at several famous sight-seeing spots surpassed their maximum capabilities. Jiuzhaigou in Southwest China's Sichuan Province, which is famous for its natural beauty, limited visitors for the first time during the National Day holiday last year.
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