Thousands of Chinese vacationers stranded in resort town due to Covid lockdown

Over 2,000 visitors have been trapped in a southern Chinese resort town after the local authorities enforced an emergency lockdown to control a Covid surge, as the country's rigid zero-Covid measures continue to disrupt both businesses and daily routines.

Beihai, a well-known summer destination famous for its pristine beaches and volcanic island in Guangxi province, has reported over 500 new Covid cases in the last week – a significant outbreak by China's standards.

On Saturday, Beihai's local government imposed a lockdown on the city's urban areas, home to its resorts and main tourist sites, initiating mass Covid testing and restricting residents from leaving their homes.

The stringent Covid restrictions also extended to Weizhou Island, a remote islet popular for its coastal scenery, located over an hour away by boat. Starting Friday, tourists were instructed to leave, and accommodations were mandated to issue full refunds to guests.

On Sunday, all entertainment venues on Weizhou Island were closed, including bars, cinemas, massage parlors, and swimming pools. Tourist attractions across the island also shut down.

During a press conference on Sunday, local authorities explained that the over 2,000 tourists stranded in Beihai would be categorized based on their Covid risk. Those who had not visited high-risk areas or been in direct contact with an infected individual would be permitted to leave after showing a negative Covid test. Others would need to remain in the city for quarantine.

Two city officials were dismissed for failing to take sufficient action to prevent the virus from spreading, according to a report by state broadcaster CCTV.

The abrupt shutdown of this popular tourist destination highlights the economic damage caused by China's expensive zero-Covid policy. Just last week, the Chinese economy posted its worst quarterly performance in over two years, as months of severe lockdowns severely impacted businesses across the nation.

China's tourism sector has been severely affected by the ongoing travel restrictions and snap lockdowns, particularly this year. During the Labor Day holiday in May, only 160 million domestic trips were made, a third less than the same period last year, according to the Ministry of Culture and Tourism.

Many tourist spots had hoped for an influx of visitors during the summer break, but the rapid spread of new Omicron subvariants has put additional strain on local authorities to manage Covid outbreaks.

On Sunday, China reported nearly 600 new locally transmitted Covid cases, marking the highest surge since May. At least 16 provinces have recorded local infections this month, according to the National Health Commission.

In Macau, authorities announced on Saturday that the citywide lockdown would be extended until July 22 as they worked to control the largest Covid outbreak the gambling hub has ever faced.

Macau imposed the lockdown on July 11, shutting down its casinos and restricting residents to their apartments, allowing only essential activities like grocery shopping. The city has reported around 1,700 infections since mid-June.