China’s travel industry faces reality check of ‘worst ever’ season

Strong contract between an optimistic picture painted by China's travel data and consumers reluctant to spend amid broader economic fears

During the summer and Mid-Autumn Festival, typically the peak travel seasons, China's major cities were bustling with tourists and travel data suggested a brisk recovery. However, many in the tourism sector are reporting a different reality, with operators describing these peak periods as the "worst ever". Some struggling businesses are doing even worse than they did during the most difficult days of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Key takeaways

• "I've never seen such dismal business during a 'golden week'; it's worse than the quietest days of the off-season," remarked Guan Wenlu, COO of Dear Voyage, a luxury travel agency in China;
• Travel agents across the country echo this disappointment, as the ongoing seven-day "Golden Week" National Day holiday - once characterized by bustling crowds and overflowing profits - now feels eerily quiet;
• This stark disparity underscores a deeper crisis beneath the surface of apparent prosperity, reflecting China's sluggish consumer spending. Many travelers remain reluctant to spend amid ongoing economic concerns.

Get the full story at The Wall Street Journal