Strong momentum expected to last as economic pickup continues
Major Chinese cities including Beijing and Shanghai have seen a full recovery in the tourism and consumption sectors during the recent three-day Dragon Boat Festival holidays, with certain indicators exceeding that of 2019 before the COVID-19 pandemic, according to official data on Sunday.
The data offered more signs that China’s economic recovery continues on a steady path, despite downward pressure, analysts noted, dismissing foreign media claims of softened consumption power.
In Beijing, 216 tourist attractions welcomed 5.19 million visitors for the holidays, recording a 2.1 percent growth comparing with the same period in 2019, official data showed on Sunday. That generated a revenue of 309.09 million yuan ($43.05 million), up 5.8 percent from the same period in 2019.
In addition to travel-related consumption, Beijing also saw a boost in entertainment revenue. A total of 708 performances were held during the holidays, which attracted more than 200,000 viewers and generated nearly 60 million yuan through ticket sales. The number of performances increased 125.5 percent compared with the same period in 2019, while ticket sales jumped 156.6 percent.
“Despite the recent heat waves in Beijing, I could still see crowds of people in multiple scenic spots especially indoor locations when I took my son out,” a Beijing-based white-collar surnamed Ma told the Global Times on Sunday.
Meanwhile, around 6.23 million tourists visited Guangzhou, another popular destination in South China’s Guangdong Province for the holidays, recording a year-on-year increase of 32 percent and a 4.5 percent growth compared with 2019, according to local official data. The provincial capital achieved a total income of 3.47 billion yuan, a yearly surge of 58.2 percent.
The number of visitors and consumers on subways, shopping malls and restaurants in Guangzhou noticeably surged during the Dragon Boat Festival holiday, Zhang Yi, CEO of iiMedia Research Institute, told the Global Times on Sunday, adding that he personally did not notice people around who downgraded or stopped consumption.
Source : https://www.globaltimes.cn/page/202306/1293149.shtml