Survey shows 85 percent of Chinese have no travel plans for Spring Festival

BEIJING -- A recent survey by China Youth Daily shows 85 percent of Chinese citizens have no outbound travel plans for the upcoming Spring Festival holiday, following a government call on residents to minimize travel to prevent the spread of COVID-19.

The Spring Festival, or the Chinese Lunar New Year, is an important occasion for family reunions, which falls on Feb 12 this year. It usually creates a travel rush known as the world's largest annual human migration, which runs from Jan 28 to March 8 this year.

Nearly all (97 percent) of the 2,025 respondents in the survey agree that avoiding travel contributes to the nation's epidemic containment efforts, while 95 percent believe it is necessary to provide support for needy people who do not return to their hometown.

Considering the special situation this year, 91 percent of the respondents believe they will still be able to enjoy the holiday despite being apart from their families.

Nearly 66 percent of those surveyed said they will send greetings and good wishes to their relatives via online platforms, as it is not encouraged to visit them this year. Others will spend the holiday relaxing at home (63 percent), exercising (36 percent) or developing a hobby (34 percent).