Travel agencies in Shanghai are rethinking their high expectation for the weeklong National Day holiday -- which will start on October 1 -- as a shrinking number of tourists are signing up for outbound trips.

Yesterday was the deadline to sign up for most outbound trips as visa applications usually need 10 days.

"We have only singed up around 2,000 applicants, including more than 1,000 tourists to Hong Kong and Macau. Originally, we expected the number to be at least 3,000, the same as last National Day holiday," said Li Ming, outbound travel center manager for Shanghai Airlines Tours International Co Ltd.

Shanghai china Travel Service Co Ltd received 1,500 overseas package tour applicants, 62 percent less than the same period last year.

Both of the travel services say overly low promotional prices following the SARS outbreak attracted a great number of tourists in August and September to go abroad, while current prices have risen by 30 percent on average.

"Also, the suspected SARS cases announced to be found in Singapore and Hong Kong in the past weeks prevented some tourists from going there," said Chen Shuiqin, vice president of Shanghai China Travel Service.

While travel agencies say they are disappointed, air carriers are busy preparing for additional and chartered flights to accommodate increased travel demand during the seven-day holiday.

Domestic carriers will operate 5,012 flights to and from Shanghai from October 1 to 7, 647 more than are normally scheduled. There won't, however, be a huge rise in the number of flights bound for regional destinations including Hong Kong and Macau.

"Most of the travelers on the Shanghai-Hong Kong route are businessmen, who'll take a rest during the holiday," said Li Jingao of the local branch of the Civil Aviation Administration of China.

Shanghai-based China Eastern Airlines Co Ltd, one of the country's three largest air carriers, said it will provide 744 additional flights nationwide to cater to the increased travel demand.

Most of the increased services will travel between cities in southern China and favored tourist destinations like Sanya and Haikou together with cities boasting mountain views like Zhangjiajie and Huangshan. Foreign cities such as Bangkok and Phuket will also get additional flights.

Air carriers will be busy throughout October, according to Shan Chuanbo of China Eastern.

Cruise ships are also coming to the city after a period of suspension due to the SARS outbreak.

Superstar Gemini, a medium-sized cruise ship operated by Asia's major cruise liner Star Cruises, arrived in Shanghai yesterday morning after a stop in Japan, carrying 327 tourists from Taiwan to visit the city. The company's largest cruise ship, Star Leo, is expected to visit the city for the third time on September 29.

Local tourism sites are expecting a huge number of visitors during the holidays, while industry insiders say many locals will choose to stay at home.

The 36,000 tickets for the three-night International Music Fireworks Festival in Century Park starting on September 30 have been sold out, according to Sun Xiaoyun, an official with the Park in Pudong.

Last national Day holiday, the city received 3.65 million visitors, according to the Shanghai Tourism Administrative Commission.

(eastday.com September 23, 2003)