As expected, both the number of trips Chinese tourists made and the tourism revenue they generated during the five-day May Day holiday that ended on Sunday were higher than that of last year, as shown by data released by the Ministry of Culture and Tourism. But the growth of their personal spending on average is not that obvious.
That means although the people have demonstrated a high desire to travel, their spending power has not yet recovered due to the impacts of the slow-to-recover job market and the weak growth in personal disposable income.
To better tap into the potential of the nation’s consumption, the government still needs to take more concrete actions to bail out private enterprises that are the largest job creators in the country. The focus should be on helping them increase their net profit so that the income of workers can be raised. Private enterprises are being squeezed by rising prices of raw materials in the world market due to geopolitical tensions and the depreciation of the renminbi, and falling producer prices due to weak demand at home.
The government should also pay attention to improving the experience of tourists during the holidays, as more people now choose to stay at home to enjoy five days of slow life to avoid the crowds of holiday goers.
If this problem cannot be effectively addressed, the effects of the holiday economy the policymakers desire to tap will not be fully unleashed.
The swelling of the middle-income group and the fast development of infrastructure mean people’s expectations of their holiday are drastically different from the late 1990s when the Golden Week holidays were launched.
Although people are able to travel farther in the comfort of their own cars, or by high-speed trains, they have to plan their trip meticulously to try and ensure a hassle-free journey there and back.
However, even if they are lucky enough to avoid any hitches along the way, they will still find what awaits them in the majority of popular tourist spots remain large throngs of people. Anyone having experienced waiting in long lines to enter a tourist attraction or to use a public toilet will know that becomes the most memorable part of the trip aside from pushing and shoving for hours.
That being said, a flexible holiday system can be introduced. As long as the people have enough money to spend, to grant them more freedom and space to plan their leisure trips will only better stimulate consumption and promote the development of the tourism industry.