People unhappy with 2013 holiday plans:survey

Most people are not satisfied with the arrangements for holidays next year and want more breaks, according to a survey by China Youth Daily.

The survey, which polled 2,068 people, found 73.4 percent were unsatisfied with the arrangements for holidays in 2013, released last week by the State Council, or cabinet, China Youth Daily reported.

Each of seven major holidays will be extended by at least two days, as usual, so that people can have several consecutive days off. The preceding or following Saturday and Sunday will be workdays to make up for the time lost, under the arrangements.

For example, the holiday for New Year's Day, which falls on a Tuesday, will start on Jan 1 and end on Jan 3. The following weekend, Jan 5 and Jan 6, will be workdays, so people will work for eight days from Jan 4.

The survey shows 60.5 percent of people believe that shifting between workdays and weekends will make them exhausted before or after holidays, 45.6 percent think such arrangements will disrupt their normal work or study schedule, and only 33 percent believe the longer holidays will encourage them to travel.

Some 92.5 percent of respondents say they lack holidays, while 50.4 percent say they are in dire need of them. About 66 percent suggest better implementation of paid leave for employees so they can arrange their holidays.

Wei Xiang, an economist in leisure research, told China Youth Daily: "The problem is that many enterprises are not willing to grant all the holidays to employees. Measures should be taken to ensure paid leave is better carried out and to encourage enterprises to grant more holidays to employees."

Related:

Government announces 2013 holidays

Lawyer asks State Council to adjust Chinese holidays

A million employees don't take all their holiday leave