Restrictions tighten for New Year holidays

Tourists urged to pay close attention to measures to prevent spread of COVID-19

China’s cultural and tourism administration authorities will impose stricter measures on visitor numbers at attractions and performance sites to prevent a rebound of novel coronavirus cases during the New Year’s and Spring Festival holidays.

With reports of sporadic cases in recent weeks, the Ministry of Culture and Tourism will continue to suspend trips by travel agencies that will leave or come into the Chinese mainland over the holidays, according to the ministry’s senior officials at a news conference on Monday.

Tourist attractions and indoor entertainment venues including theaters, cybercafes and cinemas are allowed to admit visitors at no more than 75 percent of their maximum capacity over the holidays.

The ministry also encouraged visitors to make reservations in advance whenever possible in order to better control population flow over the holidays.

“COVID-19 is spreading fast at foreign destinations, while domestic sites face challenges handling sporadic cases,” said Hou Zhengang, inspector of the ministry’s market management department at the news conference. “So we recommend that travelers reduce making unnecessary trips.”

He also reminded travelers to suspend unnecessary travel to overseas destinations and domestic attractions labeled high or medium risk areas during the holidays.

The tourism market has faced great pressure balancing people’s desire for travel with stricter measures designed to prevent new coronavirus cases during the coming holidays.

Authorities in Beijing have shut down some popular attractions such as Nanhu Island at the Summer Palace to avoid large gatherings that have the potential to spread infection.

The city will tighten its oversight and control measures during the holidays, and has told travel agencies to suspend organizing group

We hope that travelers become familiar with the latest control measures at their destinations before going on their trips and pay attention to their own health while traveling.”

Hou Zhengang, inspector at the Ministry of Culture and Tourism

tours to the city for now.

The city’s travel agencies will also suspend group tours to domestic destinations designated as high or medium risk areas, as well as tours to or from foreign destinations during the holidays, said Zhou Weimin, inspector of the Beijing Municipal Bureau of Culture and Tourism, during a recent news conference.

Despite facing even stricter COVID-19 measures, people’s desire to travel during the holidays still remained high.

During the three-day New Year’s holiday, which starts on Friday, hotel reservations saw an 80 percent increase over the same period last year, according to figures from online travel agency Qunar.

The company said that Changsha, Hunan province, has been the most popular destination on its platform for the coming holidays thanks to its great variety of food options and beautiful scenery.

“We hope that travelers become familiar with the latest control measures at their destinations before going on their trips and pay attention to their own health while traveling,” said Hou, the ministry’s inspector.

“We encourage travelers to wash their hands frequently and wear masks for a happy and safe holiday,” he added.