Road to recovery?

BEIJING • A record-breaking wave of Chinese tourists will hit the road for the Labour Day break despite international borders still shut, with many planning to travel domestically to more remote locations, and for longer, to give China's economy a powerful short-term boost.

The holiday will be China's first long break in largely Covid-19-free conditions, and will unleash months of pent-up yearning for travel. Millions had missed the chance to go out earlier this year during the longer Chinese New Year break due to a domestic coronavirus outbreak.

Up to 200 million domestic trips will be made by tourists, exceeding the 195 million in 2019 before Covid-19, according to data from online travel giant Trip.com, setting an all-time high for the holiday. It is in stark contrast to the rest of the world where many countries are still struggling to bring the virus under control, let alone ease travel restrictions.

Mass vaccination in China's biggest cities has also boosted confidence to travel. Ms Nie Wen, an economist at Hwabao Trust, said 300 million travellers are expected.

Some tourists are taking extra days off from work to turn the May 1-5 holiday into a nine-day break, to visit far-flung domestic locations as substitutes for Covid-19-hit destinations abroad, according to tour agents.

Before the pandemic, the Labour Day holiday was a peak period for international trips, with Thailand, Japan and Singapore being popular destinations. But strict quarantine measures and reduced flights have made it tough for travellers for over a year.

Mr James Liang, co-founder and executive chairman of the Trip.com group, said domestic destinations that can replace overseas resorts are all popular. "For example, Sanya is a substitute for Thailand, and Xinjiang and Tibet are substitutes for cross-border long-distance trips," he said.

Hotel room rates have jumped and airfares have soared, even as more flights are being added.

Mr Li Hua, operator of a boutique guesthouse in Dali, known for its gorgeous Yunnan landscape, said all his 16 rooms have been booked.

"We increased room rates by 50 per cent," he said. "Half of the profit we make during the week will be spent on staff bonuses."

According to Mr Li, local luxury guesthouses have all raised prices due to strong demand.

"Hotels that charge more than 3,000 yuan (S$616 a night) are the most popular," he said.

Ms Lin Meng, who works for an Internet firm in Shanghai, said she will brave the winding roads in Guizhou, a mountainous region known for its beautiful, but hard-to-get-to, karst scenery and ethnic minority villages.

"I just hope I won't be caught up in big crowds there," she said.

REUTERS