Spending splurge ushers in New Year

BEIJING, Feb. 2 -- Months after the government shifted its focus to

domestic consumption following an unprecedented export slowdown caused by the

economic crisis, Chinese consumers have finally responded with their

wallets.

The country's consumer spending rose strongly during the Lunar New Year

holiday period, which just ended, the Ministry of Commerce said on Saturday.

Retail sales climbed to 290 billion yuan (42.5 billion U.S. dollars) in the

week through Saturday, up 13.8 percent from the equivalent holiday week in 2008,

the ministry estimated.

Meanwhile, a 15 percent increase in both the number of tourists and tourism

revenue has been estimated for 19 tourist destinations nationwide during the

week, according to the latest press release of the National Tourism

Administration, posted on its website (www.cnta.gov.cn) on Sunday.

Holiday travel rose 20 to 40 percent in the economic powerhouses of

Jiangsu, Zhejiang and Guangdong, while the tourism market flourished in the

southwestern Yunnan, Sichuan and Guizhou provinces as well as Chongqing

municipality, the document said.

Instead of traditional family reunions at home, "traveling has emerged as

an important option in celebrating the Spring Festival for our citizens" this

year, it concluded.

Beijing, Hong Kong, Sanya, Xiamen and Chengdu were listed among the top 10

tourist destinations during the annual festival season by Ctrip.com, a leading

online travel portal.

The nation's capital, which topped the list, accommodated 830,000 tourists,

up 20 percent from last year. Its tourism revenue totaled 2.16 billion yuan.

Both figures are all-time records, the Beijing municipal tourism bureau said.

Chengdu, capital city of the quake-ravaged Sichuan province, ranked 10th.

The Guangzhou-based Nanfang Daily attributed the unexpected rise in Spring

Festival tourism to cheaper travel costs.

In Guangdong, for example, domestic travel costs 30 percent less than last

year, while trips to Thailand cost half as much as in previous years as a result

of the global economic slowdown.

Sales of food at major stores during the past week jumped 23 percent in

value terms, while beverage sales gained 17.5 percent and sales of tobacco and

alcohol rose 14.7 percent, the ministry estimated.

Sales of household electric appliances, aided by a government program to

subsidize purchases in rural areas, gained 17.8 percent.

Last year's Lunar New Year holiday week was disrupted by fierce snowstorms

that snarled rail and air traffic, stranding millions of passengers. Holiday

travel was much smoother this year.

Over the past 20 days, the Chinese made an average 4.40 million railway

trips every day as many crossed the country for holiday reunions with their

families, Chinese media news agency quoted the railway ministry as saying. That was up

15.6 percent from the same holiday period last year.

A total of 248 million people traveled by road in the week through

Saturday, up 5.6 percent from last year, the transport ministry said.

(Source: China Daily/Chinese media)