While millions across the country were enthusiastic to travel a long way to 
see renowned historic relics and scenic spots during the week-long May Day 
holiday, more and more people have opted to spend the "golden week" in a less 
strenuous way. 
Zhou Jijun, a middle-aged resident of Yangzhou, Jiangsu Province, spent the 
holiday cooking, sleeping and meeting friends in teahouses. He only drove out of 
town once with his family, and that was to enjoy the sunshine, countryside and 
delicious food of a Yangtze River islet in the suburbs. 
"I'm usually very busy taking care of my business, and the holiday is so 
important for me to relax and be with my wife and son," said Zhou. 
Zhou said the flood of travellers during the week-long holiday put him off 
taking his family further afield. "Didn't you see the crowds in places like the 
Great Wall and the Huangshan Mountain on TV? You can see nothing but a sea of 
tourists' hats and banners," he said. 
Wang Qiyang, director of the Leisure Economy Research Institute of the Renmin 
University of China, said time in the suburbs, playing sport and participating 
in cultural activities have become more and more popular ways for Chinese to 
spend their holidays. 
Many urbanites are choosing to spend time off in a not-so-far-away suburban 
or rural area enjoying the peace and quiet and local food. Wang estimated there 
are at least 100,000 rural families offering food and accommodation and other 
leisure services targeted at urbanites. The National Tourism Administration has 
made rural tours a focus of the tourism industry this year. 
Most stadiums, gyms, community sporting venues and bookshops were also full 
of people during the May Day holiday. 
"The focus of 'golden weeks' is shifting from travelling and sightseeing to 
leisure and relaxation, as people's options become more diverse," said Wang. 
But travelling and sightseeing remains a key holiday activity. 
A joint office that co-ordinates holiday affairs under the State Council 
estimated that a record 120 million trips were taken in the past "golden week," 
and that travellers spent 40 billion yuan (US$5 billion) during the holiday. 
(China Daily 05/08/2006 page1)