Tourism sector pins hopes on May Day holiday

The tourism industry is placing its hopes on the upcoming May Day holiday, which runs from May 1 to 5, by offering big discounts, upgrading itineraries and making strenuous online marketing efforts.

Tourists take selfies in a field in Baofeng county, Henan province, in March. [Photo/Xinhua]

Hopes for the sector have been raised, with a survey by the China Tourism Academy reporting record levels of satisfaction among visitors during the three-day Tomb Sweeping holiday at the start of this month.

However, despite this response, the number of domestic tourist visits during the Tomb Sweeping holiday was about 43.25 million, a fall of more than 61 percent compared with same period last year.

Travelers also spent less, with tourism industry revenue for the three days reaching 8.26 billion yuan ($1.17 billion), down by nearly 81 percent from last year, according to the academy.

People mainly traveled with their families, took road trips and went hiking, with zoos and flower gardens the most popular destinations.

According to government regulations, travel agencies must continue suspending cross-provincial and outbound services. As a result, they are looking to attract visitors to destinations within a particular province.

Agencies have also introduced significant discounts.

Wang Ying, head of international affairs at Ctrip, the country's largest online tour agency, said many hotels, scenic spots and tour companies are offering promotions to encourage local travel, with prices reaching the lowest level for the past decade.

"We all hope that high-quality products, combined with favorable prices, will help us grasp this window of opportunity for the industry to recover," Wang said.

For the Labor Day holiday, Ctrip is offering big discounts for visits to scenic spots, road trip packages, small-group tours within provinces and car rental services. Discounts are being offered on about 50 percent more services than during the Qingming holiday.

The company is also promoting hotel packages-including five-star and boutique establishments-along with tickets to scenic spots, at a discount of 20 percent to 40 percent.

Many scenic spots nationwide have reopened since the middle of last month, with strict hygiene measures put in place to prevent the spread of the novel coronavirus. Most of these destinations are offering medical workers free entry for the rest of this year.

The Giant Buddha in Leshan, Sichuan province, reopens on March 23, 2020. [Photo/Xinhua]

Zhou Wenqiang, chairman of the Sand Lake Scenic Area in Ningxia Hui autonomous region, one of the country's top beauty spots that features deserts and wetlands, said,"The outbreak emerged before Spring Festival, and the summer travel season this year will probably be much shorter than previously.

"These are two peak periods for the tourism industry, and they have been greatly impacted."

According to official data from Ningxia, cultural and tourism companies in the region are estimated to have incurred losses of about 1.6 billion yuan in the first quarter of this year.

Preventing the virus spreading is a key issue to be addressed before scenic spots reopen.

The number of visitors is limited, and before they are admitted, they must show their health QR codes and have their temperature checked. Visitors also have to make reservations in advance, wear a face mask and maintain social distancing.

Travel history checked

Beijing WTown, a tourist attraction modeled on a water town, and the nearby Simatai section of the Great Wall have just reopened, with a staff member dressed in the armor of an ancient general livestreaming first-day visitors at the latter destination. Hotels and hostels providing bed and breakfast at WTown are also back in business.

Zhou Jianhong, head of marketing for the two scenic spots, said staff members' travel history for the past two weeks and their health status were checked before they returned to work.

Non-contact services such as mobile payments are being offered to reduce potential risk, and facilities where surfaces are frequently touched by visitors are thoroughly disinfected.

Wang, from Ctrip, said that before the start of a journey, the agency's drivers, tour guides and clients all have their temperature checked. They also wear masks, and vehicles are disinfected every day.

Tour businesses have improved their services. For example, Zhou, in Ningxia, said his company plans to attract visitors through promotions and activities such as bird watching and special games for children.

It has also built new entertainment facilities and is organizing camping and bonfire parties to encourage tourists to prolong their stays at the Sand Lake Scenic Area.

The company is working with planners to upgrade its itineraries, and will launch campaigns and cultural products based on the area's features such as sand, birds and reeds.

Meanwhile, the Three Pagodas of Chongsheng Temple, built in the 9th and 10th centuries northwest of the ancient city of Dali, Yunnan province, has been attracting 300 to 400 tourists a day, thanks to the area's cherry blossom trees and ancient architecture.

Wang Xiangyun, deputy general manager for the scenic spot, said: "It will take time for the tourism industry to recover as the COVID-19 pandemic continues to spread worldwide. Our strategy is to attract visitors from Yunnan, including Dali residents, by offering ticket discounts.