Over 80 Million Tourists Expected for China's Labor Day Holiday

By That's, April 27, 2020

China travel giant Trip.com expects more than 80 million domestic tourists over the Labor Day holiday, according to a recent report.

With five consecutive days off for this year’s Labor Day holiday, referred to as May Day, Trip.com hopes to see double the number of trips made compared to Qing Ming Festival from April 4 to 6.

To spur domestic travel, more than 20 city governments have issued ‘tourism spending vouchers’ which have brought about an increase in group tour and local guide orders relative to April. The report also notes a sharp increase in car rentals for the upcoming Labor Day holiday – a likely indicator that travelers are weary of traveling by bus with larger groups.

Cities gearing up for the largest influx of tourists include Shanghai, Guangzhou, Beijing, Chengdu and Shenzhen.

View from Shanghai World Financial Center. Image via Unsplash

Perhaps most notable about this year’s Labor Day holiday is what Trip.com bills as the beginning of ‘appointment-based tourism.’

While bookings have long been a part of tourism, travelers should expect to see the proliferation of reservation-only tourist sites. Authorities are requiring tourist sites to limit the number of visitors by establishing booking platforms to prevent overcrowding. So, if you’re traveling this upcoming holiday, be sure to call ahead to check if sites on your itinerary require a reservation.

[Cover image via Unsplash]