China Overseas Chinese Network, June 25th. According to the US "World Daily" report, summer is the peak tourist season every year. The world opens its borders under the easing of the epidemic, and the tourism industry has a bright future. However, most businesses in Manhattan's Chinatown, New York, are not optimistic about the upcoming tourism wave. Not optimistic, I think that under the influence of rising prices, inflation and public safety, it will affect the willingness of tourists to consume in the community.
After May, the peak tourist season was officially sounded. Although this year, during the long holiday weekend, Chinatown has seen a gradual increase in the number of people since the two-year epidemic. However, with the rise in prices, the cost of tourism has also increased. The tourist season, which the merchants were looking forward to, adds to the uncertainty.
Zheng Xinghe, a Chinese restaurant owner, said that during the epidemic, due to the shortage of ingredients and raw materials, the purchase cost was already 30% higher than the original purchase price. With the gradual easing of the epidemic, the supply of goods has just gradually normalized, which is affected by inflation. The price of ingredients has risen again, resulting in the cost of not being adjusted in response to market conditions, and now fluctuating again.
During the epidemic, he was worried that the price increase would lose customers, so Zheng Xinghe could only absorb the cost by himself, but now coupled with the inflation problem, he can only increase the price, but he does not know when he will see the end. Dare to go up too much in one go, for example, a bowl of seafood noodle soup that used to be 11.95 yuan (USD, the same below) before the epidemic has risen to 13 yuan now; From time to time, I have found that the price of vegetables has risen, and I will no longer complain about the price increase when I come to restaurants.”
Ms. Li of another Cantonese restaurant on Mt Street said that the restaurant's business is mainly supported by tourists. Before the epidemic, employees even needed to be sent to the door to attract customers. The owner was still expecting that the business would improve significantly this summer. The increase in oil prices and travel costs, coupled with the worsening public security in New York City, may affect the willingness of tourists to come, and now I dare not ask for more booming business.
The public Zhao Bihui originally planned to take a family of four to travel in July this year.
She said that during the epidemic, she did not dare to travel far, and most of them were walking around the neighborhood. Thinking that now the vaccines have been administered and the tourism industry has gradually recovered, she wanted to say that she can take a road trip, "but the oil price of a gallon is more than 5 yuan. , let us give up this idea again, and finally chose to camp for four days and three nights in the suburbs."
However, not all business owners and the public are scared to spend by soaring prices.
Chinese Li Xinying said that by staying at home in the past two years, the proportion of spending on tourism consumption has been greatly reduced. Although prices are soaring now, she has "forced" to save a lot of travel expenses in the two years of the epidemic. She plans to reward herself well and travel far. After a trip, "the money you make is to be spent."
Chen Kevin, who opened a Chinese restaurant in the East Village, also said that during the epidemic, people were repressed and did not dare to go out. Now that they finally see the light of day, I believe there will still be some people who are willing to travel; he said, "I believe that the food is delicious. Even if the price increases, customers will still be willing to come to shop." (Yan Jiaying)