Roundup

REBOUND IN SERVICES

China's service sector witnessed an accelerated recovery in the first two months of 2023, official data showed on Wednesday. The index gauging the country's service industry output rose 5.5 percent year-on-year during the period, according to data released by the National Bureau of Statistics. NBS data showed that the country's railway and air transportation, postal services, accommodation and leasing industry have rebounded to an active level.

OVERSEAS GROUP TRAVEL

China last week unveiled a second list of 40 destinations to which travel agencies and online tourism services providers can offer group tours from March 15. The destinations include France, Greece, Spain, Italy, Denmark and Brazil, according to a circular released by the Ministry of Culture and Tourism. China's outbound group travel market was halted in early 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. As the country optimized its pandemic response, it rolled out a pilot program to resume outbound travel to the first group of 20 countries on Feb 6.

GREEN HOTELS FLOURISH

According to a report released by the China Hospitality Association, there are currently more than 1,500 green hotels in the country. Green hotels refer to those that adhere to green management, advocate green consumption, protect the environment and use resources in a rational way. China's accommodation and catering industries made progress in tackling food and beverage waste and promoting green consumption in 2022 despite the effects of COVID-19, the report said. China has a "five-leaf" system to gauge the eco-friendly nature of hotels, with a five-leaf rating being the highest.

JUMP IN VISITS TO HK

Hong Kong saw 1.46 million visitors in February, exceeding the monthly 1-million mark for the first time since February 2020, official data showed on Wednesday. The number of Chinese mainland visitors jumped to more than 1.1 million in February, up from 280,000 in January, according to data from the Hong Kong Tourism Board. The rebound came after normal travel between Hong Kong and the Chinese mainland fully resumed on Feb 6.

FLAVORS OF INNER MONGOLIA

Tianjin Shangri-La is hosting a food festival at its Cafe Yun on the first floor. Noted chef Zhang Zhiping from Baotou, Inner Mongolia autonomous region, has been invited to join the culinary team during the event, which will last until March 26. The festival features authentic flavors from Inner Mongolia, according to the hotel. They include roasted whole lamb and spicy sheep tripe shreds, as well as a selection of dairy products such as cheese.

AWARDS CEREMONY

The inaugural EO China Awards Ceremony, initiated by the Entrepreneurs' Organization, was held at the historic Paramount ballroom in Shanghai last week, recognizing the remarkable achievements of EO China member companies and their positive effects on the local economy. With more than 17,000 entrepreneurs as members, the EO community is committed to empowering global entrepreneurs and contributing to the development of the global economy.

Xinhua - China Daily