About 3.9 million tourists are expected to flock to Shanghai during the Labor Day Holiday this year, up several percentage points from a year ago, Xinmin Evening News reported today.

People's demands for holiday travel have converted from traditional long-haul sightseeing tours into having vacations in big cities and casual visits, according to a holiday travel conference held in the city recently.

More tourists want to enjoy their holiday with high quality facilities, comfortable places and cultural elements, instead of spending long hours on roads and queuing in long lines at scenic spots, experts said.

Resorts, beaches, hot springs are among the most favorable destinations during the holiday while more people prefer to ride chartered planes, cruise ships, express trains and private cars during travel. The knapsack popularity is also on the rise, the newspaper said.

Inbound and outbound travel agencies as well as scenic site operators provide information about various festivities and tour packages during the holidays.

The Golden Week for the May 1 Labor Day holiday will run from May 1 to 7, with May 1, 2 and 3 being national holidays. People will need to work the previous weekend.

(Shanghai Daily April 25, 2006)