China travels from ‘bitter memory’ of Covid era

China is finally having a blockbuster holiday free of restrictions. Data suggests this Golden Week is on track to break records.

Passengers arrive at Beijing railway station on Friday. Picture: AFP

China’s airports are packed, its highways clogged, its rail stations jammed — and the country’s political leaders, not to mention its tourism operators, could not be more delighted.

After almost four crimped years, China is finally having a blockbuster holiday period free of Covid restrictions. Data from a euphoric tourism industry suggest this “Super Golden Week” is on track to be a record breaker.

Liu Anan, 32, her husband and 5-year-old son are heading to Tokyo Disneyland. The flights to Japan were twice what they were before the pandemic — but that and spiked accommodation costs weren’t going to deter a holiday she says will mark her family “stepping out of the psychological shadow” of Covid.

“We have to try to weaken the bitter memory of the three years, live well in the present and face up to the unpredictable future,” she told The Weekend Australian.

For more than three years China’s national holidays were anxious affairs. First, the fear was of being caught in a super spreader event. By 2022, people worried a short domestic holiday could transform into weeks, or longer, in a Covid quarantine centre.

After the abrupt dismantling of China‘s “zero Covid” policy late last year, and the infection of most of the country in a giant coronavirus wave, the biggest fear for many this holiday period has been over ticket availability.

In a speech to mark the coming National Day, Xi Jinping acknowledged it had been a difficult time. “The road beneath our feet is not always smooth,” Mr Xi said on Thursday.

But Xi urged the country to keep faith: “Our strength comes from unity and confidence is more valuable than gold.”

Much of China’s economy remains sluggish, and many economists doubt it will meet its annual growth target of “around 5 per cent”.

The property sector, which makes up almost a quarter of economic activity, remains in a nationwide slump. Beijing recently put the chair of the giant apartment group Evergrande, Hui Ka Yan, in detention on suspicion of involvement in “illegal crimes”, a stunning fall for a man who was once the richest person in Asia.

But pre-sales for the Golden Week holiday — which this year combines the Mid-Autumn Festival and National Day — has provided Beijing with much needed positive economic data.

“The bustling scenes of the ‘Super Golden Week’ will, to a certain extent, help boost confidence in the Chinese economy. This is crucial,” the Global Times editorialised on Friday.

China Railway expects around 190 million train trips to be taken over the 10-day holiday period — up from 139 million trips in 2019. Scenes of heaving stations on Thursday and Friday suggest those bullish forecasts are on track.

Trip.com, the country’s biggest travel agency, said air ticket sales were up nearly fivefold on last year. Hotel sales were up more than eight times.

“Travellers are not just exploring popular destinations but also seeking authentic and off-the-beaten-path experiences,” said Jane Sun, CEO of Trip.com.

It’s been a grim three years for many of those operators. Zhao Yunling, who runs a Qing dynasty-era inn in a remote part of Guangxi province in south west China, said he has had almost no income since 2020.

The coming wave of tourists has created new problems. Mr Zhao said he has had to borrow money from friends and relatives to refurbish his properties to make sure they are up to scratch for discerning guests from China’s cities.

“A lot has changed after the three years,” Mr Zhao said. “You need to think more about how to adapt and better serve your long-awaited customers. The new Chinese customers want simplicity and comfort.”