RAILWAY PASSENGER TRIPS

China's railways are expected to have handled about 831 million passenger trips during this year's summer travel season, running from the start of July to the end of August, data from the China State Railway Group show. The country saw 821 million railway passenger trips from July 1 to Aug 30, with the average daily number of passenger trips at 13.45 million, according to the company. The country's railway networks were expected to operate another 10.8 million passenger trips on Aug 31, the data show.

STELLAR PERFORMANCE IN H1

Since the beginning of this year, China's catering sector has been warming up with pro-consumption policies taking effect. The country has adopted several measures to unleash the consumption potential of the sector, such as launching gourmet festivals, developing special food streets and promoting the establishment of semifinished cuisine hubs. Many catering companies listed on the A-share market saw burgeoning profit growth in the first half of the year, boding well for the revival of China's consumption market.

TOURISM MARKET BOOMS

The cultural tourism market in East China's metropolis of Shanghai witnessed rapid growth in the first half of this year, surging in terms of traffic and revenue, data from local authorities show. In the first six months, Shanghai received more than 139 million domestic visitors, generating tourism revenue of more than 155 billion yuan ($21.56 billion). Both mark a year-on-year increase of over 100 percent, according to the Shanghai Administration of Culture and Tourism. Data from card payment giant China UnionPay show that tourism consumption in Shanghai during the period totaled 478.45 billion yuan, up 77 percent year-on-year.

NEW DISNEY HOTEL IN SHANGHAI

The third themed hotel in Shanghai Disney Resort started construction on Thursday, according to the resort management. This new expansion will further cultivate the credentials of the highly popular resort as a multiday tourism destination, the management said. The new hotel, designed to have 400 rooms, will join the 420-room Shanghai Disneyland Hotel and the 795-room Toy Story Hotel, to provide guests with more accommodation options. Located on the shores of Wishing Star Lake, the new hotel will offer broad family appeal and experiences with new indoor and outdoor recreational amenities, the resort said.

FLIGHTS TO BE RESUMED

China Southern Airlines plans to resume operations of air routes linking Zhengzhou, Henan province, with Taipei in China's Taiwan region, and Seoul, South Korea, before the upcoming Mid-Autumn Festival and National Day holiday, after the three-year suspension due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The Zhengzhou-Taipei route will resume service from Sept 26, and the flight services destined for Seoul will be restarted from Sept 27, both with three round flights scheduled per week.

TRIAL OPERATION

Raffles Hotels & Resorts, Accor, and Galaxy Macao announced the soft opening of Raffles at Galaxy Macao — a stunning new city landmark — in mid-August. The all-suite, luxury hospitality experience brings together the best of two world-renowned brands — Galaxy Macao, one of the world's leading integrated resort, hospitality and entertainment companies; and Raffles, Accor's legendary hospitality brand which originated in Singapore in 1887. With 450 sumptuous suites, the new hotel is the brand's first destination in Macao, raising the bar for luxury hospitality and trendsetting guest experiences in the region. A grand opening, celebrating the addition of a spa, bar and the remaining signature restaurants, is expected toward the end of the year.