Local travelers planning international trips in the Labor Day holiday will face airfares that are 1,000 yuan (US$123) higher than the last big holiday period.

The higher cost was added on since the Spring Festival to cover rising fuel costs.

At least some people say that they won't be bothered by the higher fares.

"I wouldn't change my plan just for that bit of price change, as I've already planned to go that far," said Mu Xiaoyan, a local market manager.

Mu and her husband have booked their eight-day trip to Switzerland in May.

But then where to go?

Chinese travelers for the first time can take a tour of the Northern Territories of Australia, said Yu Weihua, manager of the Shanghai Central-China International Travel Agency.

The whole trip will take nine days. Price: around 11,000 yuan per person.

Or now, they can take more leisurely tours of European countries.

Typically, European tours for Chinese travelers involved visits to several countries. Many travelers complained the fast pace of the trip didn't give them a chance to explore.

"And now that will be changed," said Li Weiming, spokesperson of the Shanghai Spring Travel. "We will let our customers spend as much time as they can in just one destination."

And to improve South Africa's image among Shanghai travelers in advance of the Labor Day travel period, last month that country sent an official of its tourism bureau to the city to reassure tourists.

Media reports have said 30 Chinese people were killed in South Africa since 2004. But they were residents of South Africa, not tourists.

Tina Wang from the Shanghai Youth Travel Agency said the tours don't go to unsafe sections in South Africa.

The four-day Shanghai World Trade Fair 2006, which wrapped up over the weekend, has attracted more than 480 exhibitors from 50 countries and regions to promote their tourism resources.

(Shanghai Daily April 10, 2006)