The Chinese state media has been vigorously promoting the explosive surge of Chinese people traveling during the May Day holiday. Videos captured by netizens show that many tourist attractions in China have been overcrowded, leading to chaotic situations and sparking public dissatisfaction, with tourists calling for ticket refunds. Some bloggers have analyzed that even the travelers themselves have downgraded their consumption. Now, the streets are filled with budget travelers, resulting in significantly lower per capita spending.
According to reports from The Paper, on May 2, China National Railway Group Limited announced that on May 1, China’s railways transported 23.19 million passengers, including 15.67 million passengers on high-speed trains, marking an increase of 11.7% and 16.1% respectively compared to the previous year, reaching historic highs. China’s Ministry of Transport estimates that on May 1, the total cross-regional passenger flow in the country exceeded 340 million, an 8% increase from the same period last year.
However, the reality on the ground is quite different, with tourist spots nationwide being overcrowded and poorly managed, leading to public discontent.
On the evening of May 2, the South Gate of Zhangjiajie National Forest Park had no vehicles available for shuttle service, leaving thousands stranded, resulting in tourists demanding ticket refunds.
On May 2, chaos erupted at the Foshan Youlongxia scenic spot, with all tourists demanding refunds.
At the Huangtengxia scenic area in Qingyuan, Guangdong on May 2, visitors queued from one o’clock until six o’clock, only to be denied access to the drifting activity, prompting guests to request ticket refunds with compensation.
At the ticket refund site at Yuxi Grand Canyon in western Henan on May 2, frustrated tourists complained about waiting in line for four hours, claiming that there were not enough boats to accommodate the number of tickets sold, urging refunds for those who traveled a long way only to be turned away.
Videos shared by netizens depicted a near stampede incident at the Yellow Crane Tower in Wuhan during the May Day holiday.
On May 2, long queues formed at the Oriental Pearl TV Tower scenic area in Shanghai, prompting visitors to voice their frustration and promptly request refunds.
Netizens shared videos showing overcrowding on the Chongqing subway during the May Day holiday, with passengers crammed tightly into the trains.
Throughout the extended holiday period, major tourist attractions raised their prices to overcharge visitors, leading to numerous complaints shared in videos by dissatisfied tourists.
One woman in a video said, “At Beihai, two crabs, one fish, one conch, one water spinach, two oysters, two abalones, totaling 1578 yuan. If you come to Beihai, you must pay attention. You must carefully check out this restaurant.”
A man in another video vented, “I could tolerate paying 500 yuan for a seafood meal, but now they are charging 2 yuan just to use the toilet. There are constant announcements saying it’s a violation, forcing us to pay 20 yuan to park at the garage with no room for negotiation. The most ridiculous part is the sign at the toilet entrance stating no accommodation is allowed. I’m wondering, who would stay in a toilet? Are they paying for punishment? When I checked online for hotels, it turned out to cost seven to eight hundred yuan a night. At least the toilets weren’t charging, yet they wouldn’t let people stay there.”
Another netizen revealed a scam where after parking, the sign initially displayed a blank board, but upon returning to retrieve the car, the sign was flipped to show a charge of 3 yuan, prohibiting exit without payment.
Moreover, in Guilin, an elderly person rowing a bamboo raft on the Li River requested money from visitors wanting to take photos.
Critics have condemned various local authorities across China for resorting to deceptive tactics to stimulate increased consumption. The authorities have been falsely promoting idyllic landscapes and attractions online, luring tourists with images of picturesque scenery and lush greenery. However, upon arrival, visitors find the reality starkly different from the advertised propaganda.
Some destinations that were advertised as floral havens turned out to have few flowers when visitors arrived.
On May 1, a blogger shared his disappointing travel experience to Luoyang Longmen Grottoes.
He expressed, “Traveled to Luoyang Longmen Grottoes, 350 kilometers away, spending six hours on the road. Departed early in the morning, arriving at the park around two in the afternoon. It took almost three hours to travel the three-kilometer distance within the park to the hotel we booked, inching along slowly. I wonder, when will Chinese tourism destinations start treating consumers like human beings? Do you have any idea about your destination’s service capacity and throughput? Can’t you hire more staff? It was gridlocked. Oh, this travel experience was absolutely terrible. When will people be treated like people?”
Furthermore, according to mainland media reports, on May 1, a net-famous chimpanzee named “Diu Na Huan Xing” at the Nanning Zoo in Guangxi threw a stone during a performance, injuring a female tourist. Near the Red Waterfall at the Chishui Danxia Grand Waterfall in Guizhou, a landslide on May 1 resulted in massive boulders hitting four private vehicles at the roadside, causing tourists to flee for safety.
On April 30, tourists flocked to Mount Tai in Shandong, planning to experience night climbing, but were caught by a sudden torrential rain in the evening. By May 1, in the early hours of the morning, the resting places by the side of the road on the path to Yuhuangding were packed with tired travelers. Some people slept on the ground in their jackets while others crowded into public toilets to seek shelter from the cold.
Accidents during the Chinese May Day holiday have been on the rise. On May 2, a helicopter crashed at the Suzhou Taihu Scenic Area in Jiangsu, resulting in one fatality and four injuries, as per official statement. On the same day, in the Gulou district of Fuzhou, Fujian, a car accident at an intersection claimed multiple lives and caused injuries.
In recent years, China’s economy has been in a continuous downturn, leading to high unemployment rates and reduced income for many. This year, a new trend of “traveling while setting up stalls” has emerged among young people in mainland China. Many young individuals have started setting up stalls at tourist destinations to earn money for their travel expenses.
Regarding the downsizing of consumer spending, bloggers believe that the reason Chinese people are still traveling is not due to a love of crowded places but rather out of necessity. With only a few days of long holidays among the 365 days in a year, for many families, this is the only time they can be together as a whole family, taking their children out to make up for the lack of companionship during regular days.
A blogger further analyzed that the travelers themselves have downsized their consumption. Those who used to travel to Sanya were once headed for overseas destinations; those visiting nearby attractions previously went to more distant locations; those engaged in weekend leisure trips would have spent at least three to five days away. Now, the streets are filled with budget travelers, resulting in remarkably low per capita spending.
This blogger pointed out that many renowned tourist attractions across the country, such as the Tang Dynasty City, Beijing, Shanghai, and Hangzhou, have become mere promenades for visitors. Despite the appearance of many people, the majority of spending is concentrated on accommodation, dining, entrance tickets, and travel expenses, with most of this money not benefiting ordinary businesses. This is primarily due to the fact that the more famous the attraction, the more likely it is run by state-owned enterprises, with private businesses barely reaping any benefits from the influx of tourists.