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Will China ditch its Golden Week?
BEIJING – A suggestion that the weeklong National Day holiday be scrapped has sparked heated debate in China.
Cai Jiming, a professor with Tsinghua University, told the Guangzhou-based Yangcheng Evening News that “when conditions get better “the holiday should be deleted from the calendar”.
“If a paid leave policy can be implemented well by companies, the weeklong National Day holiday can be scrapped in the future,” the professor said.
It was his suggestion that pushed China to reform its nine-year-old Golden Week holiday system.
This year, the three golden weeks were cut to two and three new holidays added to celebrate traditional Chinese festivals.
While people are still trying to adjust to the new system, Cai’s suggestion has sparked new anger, said China Daily.
An online survey of nearly 50,000 people showed that 78 percent of respondents opposed his suggestion.
The predominant reason being it would reduce the opportunity for people to travel, and affect family reunions.
Only 18 percent supported Cai. They said it could ease pressure on transportation and the environment.
Major online forums have been flooded with arguments that the golden weeks are the only “justified and guaranteed” holidays for many people.
Online travel firm Ctrip.com said its peak for overseas trip bookings came 20 days early this year, and tour packages to some destinations have almost sold out.
Guo Guang, a manager with Ctrip.com, said the main reason for the increase is that there are only two long holidays this year.
“People wanting to travel further afield have had to wait for the National Day holiday,” he said.
Ian Jarrett
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