From Fortune Magazine:

Chinese meteorologists fear that bad winter weather could disrupt holiday travel for Lunar New Year this year. Winter storms have hit during previous Lunar New Year holidays, with 2008’s winter storm leading to a $22.3 billion direct economic loss. Experts warn that this year, travelers should expect delays on public transport.

Last year’s COVID-19 restrictions during Lunar New Year celebrations led to a surge of cases in China. Even with nine billion trips forecasted for this year’s travel season, consumer confidence appears to be waning, with travel during the National Day Golden Week holiday last October falling below official expectations. Pre-pandemic tourism revenue levels have only just been reached.

Chinese travel over the Lunar New Year could hit record levels reaching pre-pandemic rates, according to Alizila, an Alibaba-owned travel platform. Due to the ongoing uncertainty of weather and COVID-19, this year’s travel season may be a crucial turning point for the Chinese economy.



Read more: Bad winter weather threatens Lunar New Year travel in China