The number of May Day holiday travelers may reach record levels, China's central office that is coordinating holiday events predicted yesterday.

The office said the number may surpass the 110 million travelers of last year. More people intend to travel in private vehicles, which is likely to cause more accidents because the visitors are unfamiliar with their environment.

The office also will be monitoring islands in the Pacific Ocean, the Middle East and in South Asia as they are hot tourist destinations this year.

The railway authority will add 58 special tourist trains and 46 temporary trains to meet the demand during the holiday. Airlines will provide more flights to carry the steady flow of passengers, as they expect a growth of 20 percent from last year.

The tourism authorities will be providing more travel lines, especially for rural routes and travels from abroad. The National Tourism Bureau urged overseas travelers and car owners to be prepared for emergencies.

(Shanghai Daily April 22, 2006)