Hotel reservation rates for the National Day holidays are around 26 percent, a little below the corresponding period last year, and about 5,500 Shenzhen residents will take group tours to Hong Kong and Macao.

According to tourism forecasts issued Wednesday by the Shenzhen municipal holiday office, airline companies will add 465 flights during the Golden Week.

Yunnan and Hainan provinces are still the major tourist destinations for Shenzhen residents with 90 percent of the tickets for some fights to these areas already booked out.

Statistics show that up to 1,900 residents had applied for individual travel permits to Hong Kong and Macao while about 200,000 permits had been issued throughout the province. It is estimated that about 150,000 people will travel to Hong Kong during the holidays, with about 100,000 travelers passing through Shenzhen checkpoints to Hong Kong.

The city has prepared for the holidays by implementing SARS-prevention plans, health declaration procedures and rules for safe travel in eating, traveling, shopping and entertainment.

With the possibility of Hong Kong hotels being booked out ahead of the holiday, the holiday office has advised tourists to book hotel accommodation before traveling.
 

(Shenzhen Daily September 26, 2003)