The May Day "golden week" holiday has once again generated heated debate over the balance between economic gain from tourism and protection of heritage sites and travelers.

Authorities estimated that a record 120 million trips were made in the past holiday and travelers spent 40 billion yuan (US$5 billion) during the seven days.

According to the Ministry of Public Security, 44 people were killed across the country in seven major road accidents during the week-long holiday.

Independent tourists who drove their own cars have been blamed for the numerous minor mishaps on the roads because of their poor driving skills.

Some media called for a reconsideration of the golden week holiday system, which started in 1999 in a bid to stimulate spending, and criticized local authorities for overlooking tourists' needs and safety.

Each day of the holiday between 50,000 and 60,000 people visited the Grand Courtyard of the Qiao Family in Pingyao in North China's Shanxi Province, where Zhang Yimou shot his classic film "Raise the Red Lantern" roughly 10 times the usual number.

To meet the demands of the unexpected flurry of tourists, the site printed an extra 500,000 tickets on top of the 300,000 initially printed for the year.

"We didn't expect so many people to come," said Wang Zhengqian, director of the local folklore museum.

"We were a little worried when the tourists came," he said. "More than 200 soldiers were dispatched to maintain order."

The province received more than 10 million travelers during the week, bringing revenues of about 3.6 billion yuan (US$450 million), up 30 per cent over the same period last year.

The large number of people on the road meant problems in accommodation and transportation.

Zhou Yinghong, an inspector at a factory in Shenyang, capital of Northeast China's Liaoning Province, found it almost impossible to buy train tickets for a business trip that coincided with the holiday.

"They told me it had sold out seven days ahead," she said. "And I had to beg a relative who had contacts at the rail department to get some tickets."

Concerns were also raised about the protection of some historical sites overrun by mass of sightseers. In Beijing, the Imperial Palace Musuem received double the recommended number of tourists on May 2.

Ma Huidi, a professor at the Institute of Chinese Culture, said: "I cannot imagine how this ancient architecture and historical heritage can withstand so many travelers."

However Liu Deqian, a tourism expert at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, dismissed the criticism.

"The popularity of traveling reflects people's needs and the holiday should not be cancelled, though tourists and tourism operators should take pre-emptive safety measures in case of danger," he said. "It's people's own choice to travel."

(China Daily May 9, 2006)