This year's "May Day" has just passed, and there have been five "strange phenomena" in society, which are abnormal and incomprehensible, what is going on?
1. Extreme weather phenomena
Recently, weather patterns around the world seem to be undergoing drastic changes. This change is particularly pronounced in China, where extreme weather events have occurred in many places. The Guangdong region was hit by rare torrential rains, hail and tornadoes, which are often incompatible with the region's mild climate. At the same time, the Hebei region has unexpectedly ushered in snowfall, which has brought a lot of trouble to the daily life of local residents.
In contrast, Southeast Asia has experienced unusually high temperatures due to the impact of the El Niño phenomenon, and in the case of Thailand, the local temperature has reached 52 degrees, and many outdoor workers have fainted directly due to the heat. This global weather anomaly has not only affected the lives of local residents, but also attracted great attention from the international community.
Although the weather is very extreme, there is no one to back down during the May Day holiday, and the tourists are still crowded.
2. Crowds of tourists
With the frequent occurrence of extreme weather, people's enthusiasm for tourism has shown a trend of swimming against the current. In the past May Day holiday, the tourism market across the country ushered in a surge in foot traffic, which not only included traditional popular tourist cities, but also some non-traditional tourist destinations have unexpectedly become the focus of people's pursuit.
The popular city is simply crowded, and the picture of the crowd is suffocating. For example, the attractions in Shanghai, Nanjing, Guangzhou, Beijing and other places can't be walked at all, and it is creepy to watch directly from a small video.
The surge in foot traffic reflects the receding impact of the epidemic. With the popularization of vaccination and the gradual optimization of prevention and control measures, people's worries about the epidemic are decreasing, and tourism activities are gradually returning to the pre-epidemic state. This recovery is reflected not only in the increase in the number of tourists, but also in the growth of tourism consumption. People are willing to pay more for a high-quality travel experience, which has undoubtedly injected new vitality into the travel market.
Another striking sign of the receding impact of the pandemic is the diversification of people's choice of travel destinations. No longer limited to traditional popular attractions, some niche and distinctive tourist destinations are beginning to attract attention. This trend not only promotes the balanced distribution of tourism resources, but also provides a new impetus for the development of the tourism market.
Driven by the tourism boom, some non-traditional tourist cities have unexpectedly become popular tourist destinations. Changsha, Wuhan and other cities, with their unique cultural charm and local characteristics, have attracted the attention of a large number of tourists. This phenomenon not only reflects the recovery of the tourism market, but also reflects the personalization and diversification of consumers' choice of travel destinations.
3. Niche tourism is more popular
Niche attractions have become popular, thanks to social media promotion and the spirit of exploration among young people. Through the sharing and recommendation of online platforms, some unknown beautiful scenery and cultural characteristics are known and loved by more people. On the other hand, it is also related to the positive actions of local governments. Many cities have attracted a large number of tourists by building distinctive tourism brands and improving the quality of tourism services.
The recovery of consumption and the trend of personalized tourism have not only promoted the development of the tourism industry, but also brought opportunities to related industries. Catering, accommodation, transportation and other industries have benefited from this, forming a benign industrial chain. At the same time, this trend also puts forward higher requirements for the management and service of the city. How to maintain the order and environment of the city while ensuring the experience of tourists has become a problem that city managers need to think about.
The tourism boom in lesser-known cities has also brought tangible benefits to local residents. The development of tourism has led to employment and increased the income level of residents. The spread of tourism culture has also enhanced the cultural self-confidence of local residents and promoted social harmony. Overall, the tourism boom in unpopular cities is a positive sign for the development of the tourism market. It not only brings new growth points for tourism, but also provides new ideas for the sustainable development of cities.
4. Outbound travel has also become fragrant
With the gradual control of the global epidemic and the relaxation of international travel restrictions, the outbound travel market has ushered in a significant rebound. According to Air China, the recovery rate of international and regional routes has reached 84% of 2019 levels, a figure that heralds a strong recovery in the outbound travel market.
Behind the resumption of international air routes is a series of measures taken by governments to stimulate economic recovery. From vaccinations to mutual recognition of health codes, from travel bubbles to visa facilitation, these measures are creating conditions for the resumption of outbound travel. At the same time, airlines are also actively adjusting their route layout and increasing flights to popular tourist destinations to meet market demand.
Among the many outbound destinations, Japan is a popular choice due to its unique cultural charm and the shopping advantages brought about by the depreciation of the yen. The depreciation of the yen has not only reduced the cost of tourism, but also increased the attractiveness of Japanese goods, attracting a large number of tourists who shop and invest. Japanese tourism operators have also seized this opportunity and launched various incentives and special tourism products to attract more Chinese tourists.
5. There are fewer marriages on May Day
In stark contrast to the booming tourism market, the wedding market suffered a cold wind during this year's May Day. The sharp decrease in the number of marriages has brought a lot of impact to the wedding industry. The emergence of this phenomenon is not only affected by social and cultural factors, but also reflects the change in young people's concept of weddings, and it is reported that the number of May Day marriages this year has dropped by 30% compared with last year.
Behind the decline in the number of marriages, on the one hand, is due to the fact that 2024 is known as the "year of widowhood" in traditional Chinese culture, and many people think that it is unlucky to get married in this year, so they choose to avoid it. On the other hand, with the development of society and the change of concepts, more and more young people have begun to re-examine the meaning of weddings, and they are more inclined to simple and personalized weddings, and some even choose not to hold weddings.
Socio-cultural factors are also influencing the wedding market. With the improvement of women's status and the popularization of the concept of gender equality, more and more women have begun to pursue their careers and interests, and no longer regard marriage as a necessary way in life. As the cost of living increases, many young people are facing financial pressures, which also affects their willingness to get married. The cold of the wedding market has had a knock-on effect on related industries. From wedding photography to wedding services, from wedding planning to wedding supplies, many industries have been impacted.
Some businesses are looking to transform to engage customers by offering more personalized, differentiated services. At the same time, some companies have begun to expand their business scope and get involved in other related fields to diversify their risks. However, the cold weather in the wedding market has also brought about some positive changes. More and more people are beginning to reflect on the meaning of weddings and pursue a more rational and simple lifestyle. This change helps to promote the progress of society and promote the pluralistic development of culture.
6. There are many fewer people buying houses
In the context of economic recovery, the real estate market has shown a relatively cold trend. Although the government has introduced a series of policies to stimulate the market, the pace of recovery of the property market is still slow, and the uneven market is very obvious. Like us here, the sales department of each real estate is very deserted during the May Day period, and some sales staff said that the company will let them go to work during the 5-day holiday, but they are playing with mobile phones in the sales department, and there is not even a guest.
On the one hand, the uneven phenomenon of hot and cold property market reflects the relationship between supply and demand in the market. In some popular cities and regions, due to the concentration of population and rapid economic development, the real estate market still maintains a high level of heat. In some third- and fourth-tier cities and remote areas, the real estate market is relatively deserted due to population outflow and relatively lagging economic development.
Policy adjustments are also an important factor affecting the real estate market. In order to destock and stabilize housing prices, the government has taken a series of measures, including suspending the supply of land and adjusting restrictions on home purchases. Although the implementation of these policies has helped to alleviate the overheating of the market, it has also inhibited the vitality of the market to a certain extent. The cold real estate market has had a great impact on related industries. From construction to home décor, from financial services to property management, many industries have been affected. Some businesses are looking to transform to attract customers by offering more diverse, personalized services.
In the discussion of the above social phenomena, we can see the multifaceted impact of China's social economy, as well as the changes in the lifestyles and attitudes of young people. Phenomena such as extreme weather, tourism boom, cold wedding markets and cold real estate markets are not just isolated events, they are interrelated and together constitute the whole picture of social development.
The importance of reflection on social phenomena lies in the fact that they suggest that we need to look at problems from multiple perspectives. Extreme weather phenomena have made us aware of the urgency of environmental protection, while the tourism boom has demonstrated the potential of the consumer market and people's pursuit of a better life. The coldness of the wedding market makes us think about the integration of traditional culture and modern values, and the coldness of the real estate market prompts us to pay attention to the adjustment of the economic structure and the healthy development of the market.
The emergence of these phenomena is not only the inevitable result of social development, but also a reflection of the changes of the times. They require us not only to focus on immediate interests, but also to have foresight and insight to adapt to the changing social environment. Whether we are facing the challenges of extreme weather, looking for personal pleasure in the midst of a travel boom, or looking for new opportunities in the changing wedding market and real estate market, we should remain positive and optimistic and embrace every tomorrow with an open mind.