Tourism-related industries expected to rake in some 35 billion yuan (US$4.2 billion) from nationwide travel, said Zhang Xiqin, deputy director of China's National Tourism Administration (CNTA).

The optimistic forecast was made despite the recent SARS cases in Beijing and Anhui Province. Every effort is being made to ensure that domestic and overseas travelers have a pleasant holiday week.

Vice-Minister of Health Zhu Qingsheng said during a visit to Malaysia earlier this week that China is doing all it can to contain the SARS outbreak. "Local authorities have been told to take appropriate measures to prevent possible virus transmissions and make the May Day holiday as safe as possible."

Railway stations and airports have been ordered to check the temperatures of all passengers from Beijing and Anhui.

Dr. Julie Hall, who is heading up a team of World Health Organization (WHO) investigators in Beijing to look into the SARS outbreak, said on Thursday, "In terms of members of the public, we don't believe there is any reason to cancel or delay any travel plans that they might have had for the upcoming holidays."

Zhong Nanshan, director of the Guangzhou Institute of Respiratory Diseases, told local media on Wednesday that travelers do not need to worry. Many citizens appear to be calm and say that the odd SARS case will not spoil their eagerly anticipated travel.

(China Daily, China.org.cn April 30, 2004)