China’s “Golden Week” Creates Buzz

In 1999, the Chinese government established three “Golden Weeks” in China as a way to boost domestic demand, stimulate consumption, and restructure the economy. Since long holidays are usually “golden” for the economy, thus the name.  The first Golden Week of each year is the Spring Festival and it starts on the Chinese Lunar New Year—which falls in late January or early February each year.  The second Golden Week starts on May 1st, the Labor Day holiday in China. The last Golden Week falls on October 1st, Chinese National Day and the anniversary of Mao Ze Dong’s establishment of the People’s Republic of China. 

During these Golden Weeks people have seven continuous days off of work. What’s interesting is though people are given the entire week off, they are still required to work on Saturday and Sunday before the Golden Week. This harkens back to the days in China when most people worked six days a week, with a long weekend or two only every now and then. 

Over the past week, Beijing and the whole country of China have been buzzing with tourists.  Living here in Beijing with a population around 15 million, conditions you to crowds.  However, when venturing out during one of Beijing’s three Golden Weeks, it makes you feel like you are experiencing something completely new. These special week-long holidays have definitely inspired economic activity in Beijing and other areas of China.  The buses and subways within Beijing reported over 12 million passengers on the first day of the May holiday alone! 

The increase in tourism and activity in China during the Golden Weeks really makes you realize that China does, in fact, have 1.3 billion people, and every year their consumption levels are increasing.  The China Daily reported that China had over 120 million people taking trips both at home and abroad over the recent May 1st Golden Week—a new record.  This is a large increase from only 28 million people traveling during the first Golden Week in October of 1999.

For me, the Golden Week is an opportunity to relax and enjoy the free time with friends at home here in Beijing.  Traveling anywhere inside of China during these weeks is a big hassle and often makes a trip difficult.  I have decided that as long as I’m not going outside of China, I am just going to stay right here at home in Beijing where I can see and experience first hand the differences in everyday life during the holiday.