China expects over 750 mln inter-regional trips during Qingming holiday

BEIJING, April 6 (Xinhua) -- China reported a significant surge in anticipated inter-regional trips during the three-day Qingming Festival holiday that concludes on Saturday, official data showed.

According to Ministry of Transport data, about 752.84 million inter-regional trips were made during the period.

An average of 250.95 million such trips are projected to be made each day during the holiday, marking a 56.1-percent increase compared with the same period last year and a 20.9-percent increase from 2019.

In breakdown, road trip passenger traffic is estimated to hit 695.19 million, averaging 231.73 million per day, showing a 55.1-percent surge from a year earlier.

Railway trips are projected to amount to 49.74 million, with the daily average trips increasing by 75.3 percent year on year to over 16.58 million.

The ministry also predicted that 2.8 million waterway trips were made during the period, while 5.1 million were air trips.

China's transport authorities have stepped up efforts to cope with the rising travel demand. For instance, the nation's railway operator said it would put an additional 1,163 trains into operation on Saturday.

The Qingming Festival, or Tomb-Sweeping Day, is a traditional Chinese festival focusing on paying tribute to the dead and the worship of ancestors. During the festival period, Chinese people also tend to indulge in outdoor activities and sightseeing.