Zibo city paves way for happy holidaymakers

The officials and civil servants of Zibo, in East China's Shandong province, worked hard to ensure that visitors to the city during the May Day holiday had a memorable experience.

As the city is popular for its delicious barbecues and was trending on the social media for over two months, they took it upon themselves to volunteer and ensure that holidaymakers had an unforgettable stay.

"Police officers patrolled the streets and officials from the market supervision bureau monitored the food quality to rule out health risks," said Fu Qiang, who runs a restaurant.

Additionally, local authorities issued warnings ahead of the holiday, regulating prices for catering and accommodation.

Hotel operators in Zibo were investigated and punished if increases in room prices during the holiday surpassed 50 percent of the average price in March, according to a notice released ahead of the break by the city's development and reform commission, as well as the market regulation administration.

Those efforts paid off as Zibo Railway Station handled an impressive 240,252 passengers during the May Day holiday, a significant increase of 55 percent compared with the same period in 2019.