China's Golden Week Traffic Volume Below Last Year... Domestic Economic Impact Expected to Be Low

China Unlikely to Lift Travel Restrictions, School Days Shortage Due to Delayed Elementary to High School Start
Concerns Over Negative Impact on China's Domestic Economy in Second Half of Year

[Asia Economy Beijing=Special Correspondent Jo Young-shin] It is forecasted that air traffic during China's Mid-Autumn Festival (Chinese Chuseok) and National Day golden holidays will not reach last year's levels. China expects domestic consumption to revive during the Mid-Autumn Festival and National Day holidays. The decrease in population movement is likely to act as a negative factor for China's domestic market.

[Image source=AFP Yonhap News]

China's state-run Global Times reported on the 2nd that due to strengthened COVID-19 prevention measures restricting inter-provincial travel and sporadic confirmed cases, air traffic during this year's golden holidays is expected to fall short of last year's levels.

An industry insider who requested anonymity told the Global Times in an interview, "The epidemic situation in China during this year's holidays is more severe than last year," adding that it seems difficult to satisfy the pent-up travel demand so far.

According to data from China's Ministry of Culture and Tourism, the number of visits to tourist sites across China during last year's Mid-Autumn Festival and National Day holidays totaled 637 million, which was only 79% compared to 2019. Although COVID-19 was relatively controlled in China in the second half of last year compared to other countries, the number of travelers did not reach pre-pandemic levels.

The Global Times cited experts saying that preventing the spread of the highly transmissible Delta variant is the Chinese government's top priority, and the government will not ease restrictions on domestic travel.

It also explained that the strengthening of COVID-19 prevention measures caused primary, middle, and high schools as well as kindergartens in China to start the semester two weeks late, which will also affect the decrease in air traffic. Chinese primary, middle, and high schools are seeking ways to reduce holiday days to make up for the shortage of class days.

Chinese travel experts also expressed concerns that the number of travelers may decrease compared to the May Labor Day holidays, which returned to pre-COVID-19 levels. During this year's Labor Day holidays, the total number of domestic trips in China reached 230 million, which was 119.7% compared to 2020 and 103.4% compared to 2019.

The Global Times expects airlines to implement various marketing strategies such as lowering air ticket prices during the holidays but forecasts that the number of travelers during the golden holidays will not reach last year's levels.

The decrease in population movement during the Mid-Autumn Festival and National Day golden holidays is closely related to China's domestic consumption and is expected to have a considerable impact on the Chinese economy.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.