Record domestic travel forecast as China holiday travel rush begins

Bangkok Post Group

China kicked off its 40-day Spring Festival travel rush on Tuesday (January 14), and authorities expect an increase in journeys this year, estimating a record 9 billion domestic trips will be made. - REUTERS

Transcript

00:00China's holiday travel rush got into full swing Tuesday.

00:06The 40-day Spring Festival saw airports and train stations packed with travellers.

00:11After a total 8.4 billion trips last year, authorities predict 2025 will see a record

00:189 billion domestic journeys.

00:20But this year's festival comes with China's economy in the doldrums.

00:25Students struggling to recover from years of pandemic lockdowns and a prolonged property

00:29slump.

00:30All that had some asking if the traditional travel rush could go quiet.

00:36At Beijing Railway Station, travellers were largely optimistic.

00:42This man says the mood in his hometown is good with holiday decorations going up.

00:48A student says they're hopeful an improving economy will boost their quality of life over

00:53the coming year.

00:55But officials may not be so sanguine.

00:58The government has rolled out a series of stimulus measures in recent months in a bid

01:03to boost demand.

01:04That includes interest rate cuts and expanded trading schemes for consumer goods.

01:10Travel demand at least seems to be holding up, with records expected across all modes

01:15of transport.

01:17Train trips are forecast to hit 510 million, with 90 million plane trips predicted, both

01:22being all-time highs.

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