Guangdong vows to keep travelers informed during Spring Rush

Guangdong provincial department of communications has said it will adopt Internet Plus and big data technology to ensure everything runs smoothly during the Spring Festival travel rush.

The department is collaborating with Chinese internet giant Tencent to establish a big data analysis and forecast platform, which it hopes will improve its ability to organize, coordinate and deal with emergencies during the period.

It also launched an official WeChat account on Wednesday to inform passengers about any issues with the province's transport network and help them complete their journeys home.

Guangdong, which is home to myriad foreign-funded companies, joint ventures and private-run firms, is estimated to have more than 20 million migrant workers — more than any other province.

Every year, it is one of the busiest regions in the mainland during the Spring Rush, which takes place between Jan 13 and Feb 21 this year.

According to official forecasts, more than 131 million people will leave and arrive in Guangdong over the period.

Of them, 29 million will travel by rail, 95 million by land or water and 7 million will fly.

Most migrant workers will aim to leave the province before the Lunar New Year begins on Jan 27 and return after the festival.