Although the recent week-long National Day holidays generated an expected economic boom, the "Golden Week" holidays are losing their charm for a growing number of Chinese people, indicates a nationwide survey.

During the recent week-long holiday, China received 101 million tourists nationwide, and generated 39.7 billion yuan (US$4.8 billion) in tourism-related revenues.

That was the best "harvest" since China introduced two extra "Golden Week" holidays in 1999.

However, the "Golden Week" also put unprecedented pressure on the country's transportation system and service industry.

Compared with the ardent welcome the holidays received several years ago, 44 per cent of Chinese citizens said they prefer "flexible paid holidays" instead of fixed long holidays, the survey, conducted by Beijing-based Horizon Research, indicated.

The survey included 3,502 people from 10 of China's large and medium-sized cities.

The term of "flexible paid holidays" means employers should allow employees 10-15 days of paid vacation days per year, and the workers should be able to decide when and how to use those days.

The survey also indicated respondents from 18 to 39, singles, couples with a child under 14, and couples living with their parents preferred that option.

Meanwhile, respondents over 40 said they preferred to accumulate all of their holidays to spend more time with their families.

Respondents said they were not interested in coping with hordes of people - at restaurants, scenic spots and hotels - and traffic congestion commonly associated with "Golden Week" holidays.

"There are too many people almost everywhere. Even in the toilet, people have to wait in a long queue," said Wang Fan, a student at Tsinghua University.

National Holiday Office statistics indicated 13.07 million people visited China's 99 major tourist attractions during the National Day holidays. That amounted to 18,900 people per attraction per day.

The average Chinese tourist attraction, however, can only accommodate, safely, 5,000-6,000 visitors per day.

At Wuhan Nine Peaks Zoo, in Central China's Hubei Province, a 1,000-year-old "immortal turtle" was trod to death by visitors, as too many guests tried to gain some divinity from it.

Officials received 102, 60 and 17 complaints, respectively, about poor tourist, transportation and shopping services. The number of complaints were up 55.2 per cent, 57.9 per cent and 240 per cent, respectively, over last year.

Even for businesses, the "Golden Week" holidays do not ensure long-term commercial prosperity, as "rush consumption" is often followed by a consumption slump.

Figures made public by a large domestic retailer, on condition of anonymity, indicated the firm earned 140 million yuan (US$16.9 million) during this year's National Day holiday, and 470 million (US$56.8 million) by the end of October.

That was less than its sales income, 520 million yuan (US$62.9 million), for the previous month.

China should adopt a system with flexible paid holidays, said Chen Jiangwen, a sociologist at Lanzhou University.

"Only more flexible holidays will satisfy Chinese people's desire to travel, while preventing a huge consumption imbalance between the 'Golden Week' holidays and the rest of the year," Chen said.

China has three "Golden Week" holidays - International Labour Day in May, National Day, and Spring Festival.

Xinhua

(Business Weekly 10/26/2004 page9)