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Wan LixinOpinion deputy editor of Shanghai Daily
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Guangdong encouraging paid leave to boost tourism
By Wang Yingbei |
February 24, 2009, Tuesday
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Online Edition
Online Edition
GUANGDONG Province yesterday revealed a plan to encourage residents to take paid leave around the May Day holiday in the hope that a longer vacation may help boost the tourist industry.
The south-eastern provincial government, in a notice announcing 18 measures, said local residents would be encouraged to take paid leave around the three-day national holiday from May 1 to 3 to recreate the former golden week to stimulate tourism, Xinhua news agency reported today.
The longer May holiday could bring 500 billion yuan (US$73.1 billion) to the local tourist industry.
The local tourist bureau will also arrange special activities around the May Day holiday to encourage people to take paid leave. Companies that do not agree to a paid leave system will be "punished", according to Yang Hongshan, vice director of the Labor and Social Security Department of Guangdong Province.
Public holidays were rescheduled last year and the May Day holiday was shortened to three days from seven days. A week-long break for the May Day holiday started in 1999 to spur travel and boost spending.
Museums, memorials, and patriotism education centers will offer free admission. Recreational parks, popular science education centers, and revolutionary tourist attractions will be encouraged to charge half price or nothing, according to the measures.
Guangdong will also introduce a tourism and recreation card this year offering discounts at tourist attractions and for travel.
Schools will also be encouraged to incorporate study tours.
Guangdong Governor Huang Huahua suggested going back to a seven-day May Day holiday to promote public consumption in his government work report to the provincial Congress last December.
Guangdong's gross domestic product was forecast to jump 8.5 percent this year. In 2007, the figure hiked 14.7 percent.
The south-eastern provincial government, in a notice announcing 18 measures, said local residents would be encouraged to take paid leave around the three-day national holiday from May 1 to 3 to recreate the former golden week to stimulate tourism, Xinhua news agency reported today.
The longer May holiday could bring 500 billion yuan (US$73.1 billion) to the local tourist industry.
The local tourist bureau will also arrange special activities around the May Day holiday to encourage people to take paid leave. Companies that do not agree to a paid leave system will be "punished", according to Yang Hongshan, vice director of the Labor and Social Security Department of Guangdong Province.
Public holidays were rescheduled last year and the May Day holiday was shortened to three days from seven days. A week-long break for the May Day holiday started in 1999 to spur travel and boost spending.
Museums, memorials, and patriotism education centers will offer free admission. Recreational parks, popular science education centers, and revolutionary tourist attractions will be encouraged to charge half price or nothing, according to the measures.
Guangdong will also introduce a tourism and recreation card this year offering discounts at tourist attractions and for travel.
Schools will also be encouraged to incorporate study tours.
Guangdong Governor Huang Huahua suggested going back to a seven-day May Day holiday to promote public consumption in his government work report to the provincial Congress last December.
Guangdong's gross domestic product was forecast to jump 8.5 percent this year. In 2007, the figure hiked 14.7 percent.
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