Stranded Chinese tourists turn to officials' homes as hotels run out during May Day holiday rush
SINGAPORE: With record tourist numbers during China's annual May Day holiday, one county's hospitality has gone viral.
Tourism officials and residents in Xuanen, a county in the central Hubei province, reportedly opened up their homes to stranded travellers - drawing praise and also questions from netizens online, who described the move as 'absurd and awkward'.
Xuanen's tourism bureau shared videos and accounts on May 3 of staff and local residents opening their homes to travellers, who were unable to find accommodation during the busy holiday period.
The five-day national holiday from May 1 to May 5 saw a huge surge in domestic tourism.
Hubei is known for its natural and historical landmarks like the Three Gorges Dam on the Yangtze River and the Wudang Mountains - a site renowned for tai chi and considered a place of religious pilgrimage.
In particular, Xuanen welcomed nearly 702,000 visitors between May 1 and 3, marking an 85.7 per cent increase from the same period last year, officials said.
Around 30 stranded tourists reportedly stayed in residents' and officials' homes, according to a report by Hubei Daily.
Among them was a female traveller named Wang, who drove four hours with her family from their home in Yichang to Xuanen on a spontaneous road trip - without booking accommodation in advance.
As it turned out, the family of four were unable to find a room for the night, as many hotels and local homestays were fully booked. Wang told Hubei Daily that she eventually called tourism authorities for assistance.
In a video posted on the county tourism bureau's WeChat account, Wang said tourism officials had 'spent a long time' helping them source for hotel rooms or other accommodation in Xuanen.
That night, the family was offered free accommodation - not at a hotel, but in the home of the tourism bureau director, Wang Jufang.
Unsurprisingly, the family was full of praise for the 'heartwarming service' they received from local tourism officials.
Another tourism bureau official named Guo Yanrui was also praised for offering spare rooms in his home to four tourists from Sichuan province.
Tourism bureau director Wang said county residents also offered their homes as temporary accommodation for tourists.
More than 30 travellers were accommodated in local residences during the May Day holiday period, while 100 emergency beds - equipped with daily necessities - were set up in the county's national gymnasium, Wang added.
Wang did not meet the family during their visit as she was working at the time.
She even went the extra mile by travelling back to her hometown for the night so the family could have privacy.
'We also believe in the concept of 'guests coming first',' Wang said.
'The goodwill of residents has shown tourists the warmth of Xuanen county and how they have been treated like family while they were here.'
In another case, a tourist named Huang Yong was offered a room in a local resident's home.
Huang had initially called a local homestay but was told there were no vacancies.
However, the homestay owner helped by contacting other homestays to check for available rooms.
'Xuanen is a place full of warmth and the human touch,' Huang said. 'I really want to thank those who have offered their help.'
ONLINE DEBATE
Online, many praised 'heartwarming' efforts by Hubei officials to shelter tourists in need.
But others raised eyebrows, with some Chinese netizens criticising the travellers for poor planning and taking up local resources.
One user, commenting on a post by Shanghai based news site The Paper, said local officials should not be obliged to offer their homes as emergency accommodation.
'Homes are private spaces. Why should they be open to tourists?'
'If you travel during the May Day holidays without booking a room in advance, you should suffer your own consequences.'
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Straits Times
24-05-2025
- Straits Times
China eases tax refund rules for tourists
Since April 27, tourists who spend at least 200 yuan (S$36) on the same day at the same store are eligible for the instant tax refund. ST PHOTO: MICHELLE NG China now offers instant tax refunds to tourists in bid to boost consumption. Here's how it works – Visitors to China might soon find it easier to claim tax rebates at the store's checkout – and that could mean a little extra cash to spend during the trip and fewer queues at the airport. Experts say this might boost the economy, but the key is getting more retailers on board the programme. China recently revised its tax rebate policy to allow foreign tourists to receive their tax refunds instantly at eligible stores, rather than doing so only at the airport, a nd also lowered the minimum spending for such claims. Since April 27, tourists who spend at least 200 yuan (S$36) on the same day at the same store are eligible for the instant tax refund, down from the previous 500 yuan. The maximum rebate amount for a cash refund has also been raised from 10,000 yuan to 20,000 yuan. Refunds can be instantly received through mobile payments such as WeChat and Alipay's digital wallets, credit cards and in cash. Previously, tourists had to get their paper forms and receipts in order, and could get the refunds only at the tax refund counter at the airport right before they left the country. The catch? Not all shops offer this service, but the Chinese authorities said they are working to broaden the list of such tax-refund stores in major shopping areas, pedestrian streets, tourist sites, resorts, cultural venues, airports, passenger ports and hotels. Goods eligible for refunds include luxury items, time-honoured Chinese brands such as traditional Chinese medicine pharmacy Tong Ren Tang and silk store Ruifuxiang, craft, cultural and heritage items, renowned Chinese consumer goods and sports products. Food and beverage stores are not included in the list. Chinese state media China Daily noted that a tourist who buys a Huawei Mate XT smartphone with an original price of 23,999 yuan (US$3,299) including tax, can receive an in-store refund of about US$360, which is enough for a high-speed train ride from Beijing to Shanghai and one-night luxury hotel stay. The policy tweak aims to boost inbound tourist consumption in the world's second-largest economy by getting visitors to spend more and sooner, as Beijing attempts to cushion some of the damage from the ongoing US-China trade war. The revised model was piloted in several cities such as Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou, before being rolled out nationwide in April. Ms Shan Guo, a partner at business consultancy Hutong Research, said the departure tax refund, according to China's current value-added tax rate (VAT), is around 11 per cent. 'The revised policy means tourists have 11 per cent more cash to spend in China, instead of bringing it home after getting it upon departure,' she said. Assuming that tourists spend all the cash refunded, Ms Guo estimated that it could translate to another 0.05 per cent support to China's gross domestic product (GDP) – a modest figure but a boost nonetheless. 'The upside could be higher if tourists spend more than what they were refunded and if the policy attracts more visitors. Cities such as Shanghai could benefit as it is usually tourists' first and last stop in China, as well as the go-to place for luxury shopping,' she said. A sign near the entrance of luxury shopping mall SKP in Beijing indicating that the mall offers tax rebates to foreign tourists. ST PHOTO: MICHELLE NG In 2024, China's inbound tourist spending accounted for about 0.5 per cent of China's GDP, compared with 1 to 3 per cent in major economies. Chinese Vice Minister of Commerce Sheng Qiuping highlighted it as an area with significant growth potential on April 27 when announcing the measures. A total of 132 million tourists spent more than US$94.2 billion in China in 2024, an increase of 77.8 per cent from 2023, according to the National Bureau of Statistics. With the policy in place, Ms Guo noted it is now a matter of getting more shops on board the instant tax rebate programme as some retailers may not feel that its benefits justify them offering this service. A check by The Straits Times in Beijing found that high-end shopping centres, SKP and China World Mall, have an instant tax refund counter, marked with a large blue sign, where tourists can get their refunds. At Sanlitun Taikoo Li, a trendy shopping area popular with the young, most luxury international boutiques such as Gucci and Moncler offer the service. But most local Chinese brands, such as popular perfume brand To Summer, do not. The rollout of the programme appears uneven, as smaller malls have not yet come on board. At Silk Street, a tourist-centric shopping mall in Beijing selling silk garments, leather goods and traditional handicrafts, only one store selling porcelain tableware offered the service. Auratic, a Chinese porcelain tableware brand, was the sole store in Silk Street mall in Beijing that currently offers in-store tax rebates to tourists. ST PHOTO: MICHELLE NG Some sales assistants were perplexed when asked if their shop offered in-store tax rebates for foreign tourists, saying they had never heard of this new policy. But three sales assistants told ST that they have been informed that there will be a mall-wide push to implement the in-store tax refund, although the timeline is unclear. A sales assistant selling Chinese brocade jewellery boxes, who wanted to be known only as Ms Wang, said: 'It'll be good for business because only tourists buy these items as souvenirs. But whether our in-store tax rebate system will be ready in two weeks or two months, I cannot say for sure.' How to get the in-store tax refund Spend at least 200 yuan (S$36) on the same day at the same store. Present your passport at the checkout. The store fills in a digital tax refund application form, which takes in your credit card number or e-wallet details, and does the tax refund on the spot or may direct you to a centralised refund counter within the mall or shopping area. At the refund counter, receive your funds via WeChat and Alipay e-wallets , credit cards or in cash. At the airport before departure, present the digital form and receipts at the e-tax refund kiosk to validate your purchases. If you do not do this, your refund might be reversed and charged back to your credit card or e-wallets. Michelle Ng is China Correspondent at The Straits Times. She is interested in Chinese foreign policies, property trends, demographics, education and rural issues. Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
Straits Times
21-05-2025
- Straits Times
Marriage registration in China becomes easier, more romantic than ever
A newly-wedded couple pose for photos at a marriage registry in Handan, Hebei on May 20. PHOTO: AFP Marriage registration in China becomes easier, more romantic than ever BEIJING - Since May 10, getting married in China is becoming a piece of cake. Wedding cake. Gone are the rules about documenting permanent household registration, or hukou. Gone are the rules requiring that marriages take place in the hukou city of one partner. Star-crossed lovers can now tie the knot anywhere they choose in China. And it's so much more romantic. They can register at the place where they first met, for example, or where they studied or started a business or pledged their everlasting love. They can even marry during travel to a city they've never visited before. All they need are their identification cards. They need only affirm that they're unmarried and not related to one another within three generations. Mr Suo Xuheng, 26, of Wuhan, Hubei province, said he and his fiancee are happy about the new rules. They're planning to get married later in 2025. 'It's great to experience a policy that truly serves the people, bringing marriage registration back to the essence of love,' he said. 'For example, today I really wanted to register — my girlfriend and I can just bring our ID cards to the civil affairs bureau and get in line for our marriage certificate. There is no need to return to our hometowns or wait for family members to mail household registration documents.' Marriage is easy now that the old barriers of location and documentation are gone. Some cities have already begun to offer incentives to take advantage of the new rules — not only to fan the flames of love but to lure visitors and their money. Some cities have moved their marriage registry offices to parks, historic buildings or popular scenic spots. Some offer free tickets or discounts to tourist attractions. Some give souvenirs tied to local culture as gifts. In Nanjing, Jiangsu province, the registration office located next to Xuanwu Lake has been popular since its launch on May 9, said Mr Wang Yao, director of the marriage registration center of the civil affairs bureau of Xuanwu district. The office, with an area of 350 sq m, features functional zones — a marriage registration area, a Chinese-style certification section, space for ceremonies, an exhibition area covering wedding customs, spots for photography and even marriage counseling rooms. 'To accommodate the potential surge in marriage registrations, we will open early — at 8 am on May 20 and 21,' Mr Wang said, noting that the numerical dates 5/20 and 5/21 sound like 'I love you' in Chinese. The office has received numerous inquiries and appointments in recent days, both from locals and non-locals. 'They wanted to confirm that marriage registration can indeed be processed without household registration books, that non-residents can register in Nanjing and what procedures are required,' Mr Wang said. To provide extended convenience, a 100 sq m commercial space has been set up near the registration office. It offers brands of beverages and jewelry, as well as wedding services. A woman surnamed Zhu and her husband surnamed Ji registered for marriage on May 10 at the office. 'We dated several times at the Xuanwu Lake, so this place has a special meaning for us,' she said. 'I hope our future life can be as sweet and beautiful as the attraction.' Nanjing also offers marriage registrations at scenic spots including the Confucius Temple, Mochou Lake and Gulou Park. Couples registering at the temple's Xifu Hall can get a free Ming Dynasty-style wedding ceremony, as if they were actually living between 1368 and 1644. The ceremony has become all the buzz online. At the Qiandao Lake Scenic Area in Chun'an county of Hangzhou, Zhejiang province, couples can complete the entire marriage process of registration, certification and photography in one stop. To attract more couples, the county has introduced a series of preferential policies: Couples who register in Chun'an get year-round free admission to major scenic spots, such as Qiandao Lake and Longchuan Bay. Those registering on or after May 10 receive discounts at 17 dining and accommodation establishments, including high-end hotels, boutique homestays and trendy restaurants. 'Qiandao Lake boasts unparalleled landscapes,' said deputy director of Chun'an culture, radio, television, tourism and sports bureau Huang Yaqin. 'By relocating the marriage registration center to the 5A scenic area, we aim to make the marriage certification process more than just stamping papers.' By creating premium travel routes and honeymoon packages, Qiandao Lake can serve as a witness to bliss. And this 'sweet economy' will serve as a new engine for local development, Huang said. Prof Wang Jinwei, of the School of Tourism Sciences of Beijing International Studies University, said that the new rules of marriage registration reflects improvement of public service and governance system of China, based on the background of population mobility. Prof Wang said by combining marriage registration with tourism, it can boost regional economy, complete the industrial chain, and stimulate consumption especially during off-peak season. 'Now young people pay attention to all processes of marriage, which begins with registration. They want to add a sense of ceremony and enjoy enhanced experiences spiritually, and the services many cities offer meet their demands,' he said. CHINA DAILY/ASIA NEWS NETWORK Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
Straits Times
19-05-2025
- Straits Times
McTourists or millionaire visitors, Hong Kong needs them all
Mainland tourists hogging tables to sleep at a McDonald's outlet in Hong Kong. PHOTOS: RACHELLI912/INSTAGRAM Over China's recent May Day 'golden week' long holiday, Hong Kong saw a welcome surge in visitors, with a 20 per cent jump in mainland Chinese tourists. Hotel revenues rose accordingly, with broadcaster TVB News featuring some mainland tourists disclosing that they had not booked rooms beforehand and would simply spend the night at McDonald's if accommodation prices proved too high. Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
