Statistics published by the National Tourism Administration (NTA) on Sunday show that during this May Day holiday the number of tourists visiting 116 Chinese scenic spots grew 12.9 percent year on year with ticket income going up by 21.6 percent.

 

The overall tourism revenue in 38 major Chinese cities during the seven-day holiday exceeded 20 billion yuan (US$2.5 billion), the NTA said.?

 

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The seven-day holiday week has become a significant opportunity for the development of China's tourism market despite disputes about the rationality of the "Golden Week". The holiday puts great pressure on transportation, catering outlets, hotels and tourism infrastructure, according to experts.?

China now has three "Golden Week" holidays in the year -- Spring Festival, International Labor Day and National Day. The new holiday system was set up by the Chinese government in 1999 to boost domestic demand, stimulate consumption and assist in restructuring the economy.

As the holidays turned out to be "golden" for the economy they became known as the "Golden Weeks".

 

With imbalances in the development of China's economy these "Golden Weeks" offer significant opportunities for economic restructuring and employment expansion in popular tourist destinations.

 

During this May Day holiday period, 19 people were killed in 11 accidents across the country including a Dutch tourist.

 

 

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(Xinhua News Agency May 8, 2006)