China has kicked off one of its first long post-pandemic holidays, and an industrial town with cheap barbecue is so popular that authorities are telling people to go elsewhere

Tue, 05/02/2023 - 06:02

Tourists enjoy a barbecue feast at a gourmet marketplace during the five-day May Day Holiday on April 29, 2023 in Zibo, Shandong Province of China. ( — Tourists across China are traveling to Zibo, a city in east China, for its local barbecue sticks.
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Zibo, an industrial city in east China, has become a top hotspot for domestic holidaymakers.
Zibo's popularity exploded after videos of its affordable local barbecue went viral on social media.
In March, Zibo received 4.8 million visitors — more than its local population of 4.7 million people.

China's tourism industry is back in business after nearly three years of on-off COVID-19 lockdowns — and a little-known city is emerging a surprise winner.