China braces for May Day holiday tourism boom

China is gearing up for a surge in travel and tourism bookings as this year’s May Day holiday, running from May 1 to 5, draws closer.

Data from various online tourism platforms reveals a significant increase in inbound tourism bookings by tourists in China, surpassing the same period last year.

For the five-day holiday, long-distance inbound travel and short-haul outbound travel have emerged as the top choices, accounting for 40 percent and 28 percent of total bookings, respectively.

Popular travel destinations for inbound tourists include Beijing, Guangzhou, Shanghai, Sanya, Nanjing, Zhuhai, Hangzhou, and Chengdu.

Meanwhile, theme parks are witnessing a boom in bookings. Attractions such as the Guangzhou Chimelong Safari Park, Universal Beijing Resort, and Shanghai's Disney Resort have become favorite spots for young tourists and families, with hotel and ticket package sales soaring.

China's railway system is also gearing up for a surge in demand. With tickets for many popular rail routes selling out almost immediately upon release, high passenger volumes are expected throughout the holiday period. For travelers aiming to sidestep peak holiday crowds, air travel offers a favorable alternative. In Hangzhou, east China's Zhejiang Province, domestic flight ticket prices have plummeted significantly ahead of the May Day holiday, with some routes seeing reductions exceeding 60 percent. One-way fares to Beijing are now priced under 500 yuan (about 69 U.S. dollars), while the lowest fare to Guangzhou is also around 500 yuan.

"April 30 and May 1 are expected to be peak travel days. In addition, due to the overlap with spring break for primary and high schools in Zhejiang, ticket prices for flights departing from Hangzhou have risen significantly since April 27. Popular tourist destinations such as Changsha and Chongqing are already seeing occupancy rates of up to 40 percent, so travelers planning to visit these places are advised to book their tickets in advance," said Shao Lanqian, an airport ground crew member.

Amid the anticipated tourist boom from the upcoming May Day holiday and the summer season, east China’s Fujian Province has rolled out a series of holiday-themed events aimed at boosting consumption and promoting local tourism.

China braces for May Day holiday tourism boom

China's Minister of Commerce Wang Wentao outlined the key priorities of the 32nd Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Ministers Responsible for Trade Meeting, which opened on Friday in Suzhou, East China's Jiangsu province.

In an interview with CGTN ahead of the two-day meeting, Wang said free trade, digital cooperation and green economy are high on the agenda of the meeting.

"The key areas include advancing regional economic integration and the Free Trade Area of the Asia-Pacific, supporting the World Trade Organization (WTO) in strengthening digital cooperation and developing green economy. At present, the international situation is marked by intertwined turbulence and chaos, with intensified geopolitical instability. The rise of unilateralism and protectionism poses serious challenges to the international economic and trade order, disrupting global and Asia-Pacific development. Against this backdrop, all parties have higher expectations for this trade ministers' meeting, hoping that it can build consensus and deliver outcomes," Wang said.

This year marks China's third time hosting the APEC meetings and the 35th anniversary of its membership.

By 2025, China had become the largest trading partner of 13 APEC economies. Trade between China and APEC economies reached 3.7 trillion U.S. dollars, accounting for 57.8 percent of China's total foreign trade.

China has signed 24 free trade agreements or economic and trade arrangements with 31 countries and regions, including 15 APEC economies. In recent years, China has also completed upgrades of free trade agreements with APEC economies such as Singapore and Peru.

The minister said that China has always been a firm supporter and an important contributor to APEC.

"We have actively shared our vast market and development opportunities with all parties. China's door to the world will only open wider and wider. Facing the common challenges, China will continue to fulfill its responsibilities as a major country, further deepen reform, expand high-standard opening-up, and continue to provide new opportunities for the Asia-Pacific region and the world with its new achievements in Chinese modernization," the minister said.

China's Commerce Minister outlines priorities for 32nd APEC trade ministers' meeting