Source: CCTV.com

05-08-2007 11:44

Special Report:   May Day "Golden Week"

Tuesday marks the first day people are returning to work after a seven day break. All across China, planes and trains were running at full capacity as the country's 20th Golden Week drew to a close.

China's transportation and tourism sectors hit a new record during the May Day Holiday.

The Ministry of Railways has announced on Tuesday that passengers travelling by trains reached over 44 million during Golden Week, up nearly 6 percent or from last year.

The ministry adds the recent upgrade of the country's railway system, and addition of the new bullet trains, also boosted passenger capacity for this holiday season. The country had also added more than two thousand temporary trains to cope with the ever increasing demand.

Tourists volume also swelled to 150 million for the seven day period. The National Holiday Office says, that China's top 100 tourist attractions received over 1.5 million people on the last day of the holiday. The number is 10 percent higher than last year. It also adds it has only received 43 complaints on Sunday, 12 of them related to travel agencies.

Chinese people were not just busy travelling, they were definitely spending as well! The Ministry of Commerce says, retail volume of China's social consumer goods reached 320 billion yuan during the Labor Day holidays, an increase of 15 percent year-on-year.

Last week was also a real golden week for domestic lenders. Spending by cardholders also reached a new high. Statistics released show inbound and outbound bank card transactions reached over 74 million, accounting for some 40 billion yuan. The inbound and outbound transaction volumes increased 60 percent and 70 percent respectively year-on-year.

 

Editor:Chen Ge