Holiday travelers urged to give safety top priority

China's top emergency management authority reminded travelers nationwide on Monday to stay safe during the upcoming eight-day National Day and Mid-Autumn Festival holiday starting on Oct 1, saying that precautionary measures are already in place.

At a news conference, Shen Zhanli, a spokeswoman for the Ministry of Emergency Management, said transport, catering, accommodation and scenic spots will soon witness surging crowds. With people set to travel and attend large gatherings in great numbers, she stressed that safety must be given high priority.

Citing government forecasts, she noted that cross-region passenger flows are expected to reach 2.36 billion trips, or about 295 million trips per day.

To ensure safety, the ministry has issued instructions covering scenic sites, transportation, fire control and the organization of large-scale events.

For scenic areas, operators are required to step up maintenance and inspections of suspension bridges, cable cars and sightseeing vehicles and boats.

For transportation, strict vehicle checks will be carried out, while violations such as speeding, overloading and fatigued driving will be severely punished.

For fire safety, inspections will target hotels, markets and other crowded venues, focusing on issues such as illegal parking and charging of electric bikes and faulty fire equipment.

For large gatherings, measures will include real-time monitoring of crowd density in narrow spaces, ramps and stairways, with evacuation steps taken if needed to prevent stampedes and other accidents.