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Guangdong may extend May holiday

By Chen Hong and Xin Dingding (China Daily)
Updated: 2009-01-01 09:10

GUANGZHOU - The Guangdong provincial government might extend the May Day holiday to last for a week to boost tourism and stimulate domestic consumption amid the financial crisis.

Previously among China's three "golden weeks", the May Day holiday had been shortened from three days to a single day from last year.

"It would be a way to boost domestic consumption," Governor Huang Huahua said at a working meeting. Consumption usually surges during the golden weeks, which comprised three-day public holidays and two weekends in accordance with central government convention, he said.

The change would make the province the first to encourage citizens to travel and boost tourism since the change, he added.

Researchers lauded the proposal and said the government should provide substantial subsidies to travelers.

"The governor's idea could be realized through local legislation," China Tourism Academy deputy director Dai Bin said.

"It's workable, given Guangdong is a wealthy province, and its people have relatively strong consumption capacities. Extending the May Day holiday to a week again could stimulate consumption and ease employment pressures."

Peng Peng, with the Guangzhou Academy of Social Sciences, said it was a good idea, but the government must ensure citizens benefit from more than additional days off work.

"Many people need money for traveling - not time," he said, suggesting the government issue tourism coupons to encourage citizens to travel or write off some of their traveling fees.

The proposal hails the first instance in which a local government has considered extending the holiday since the State Council - China's cabinet - announced at the end of last year it would be shortened and three new single-day public holidays would be introduced.

The change aimed to uphold Chinese traditions, better distribute public holidays throughout the year and ease the travel congestion of golden weeks. But a Sina.com poll last year found nearly half of 600,000 respondents opposed the shortening of the May Day holiday.