Restaurants reopen in Hainan as normalcy returns

Most restaurants in South China's Hainan province have reopened as the coronavirus epidemic has been gradually contained in the island province and across the country as a whole.

According to the Hainan Provincial Association of Hotels and Catering Industry, more than 30,000 businesses in the catering sector — around 80 percent of the total — had resumed operations as of March 22, and consumer sentiment is quickly picking up.

"Nearly all the hotels have reopened, providing meals for guests. Yet only half the normal number of staff members are working, as hotel occupancy is still low," said Cheng Heng, executive director of the association.

"Business at restaurants, supermarkets and night markets in Hainan is gradually warming up. Turnover in the catering industry has reached about 30 percent of what it was in the same period last year."

Cheng added that the association will guide local catering enterprises to strengthen cooperation with online ordering platforms and will launch a series of promotional activities for Hainan, a popular tourist destination known for its tropical sea views and ecological resources.

Hainan was declared clear of COVID-19 cases on Tuesday, when a 40-year-old woman, surnamed Zeng, a native of Hubei province, was discharged from a hospital in Haikou, the provincial capital. As of Tuesday, Hainan had diagnosed a total of 168 cases. Of those, 162 patients recovered, and six died. The province has confirmed no new cases for 33 consecutive days.

Lu Min, head of Longquan Yucun Fish Village Restaurant in Haikou, noted the return of business.

"The number of customers has been rising in our restaurant over the past couple of days, although the flow is only about a third of what it was before the epidemic,"  Lu said. "We have very serious measures in effect for epidemic prevention and control, such as comprehensive disinfection and temperature measurement before employees start work every day. We will soon launch consumption promotion activities."

Huang Lin, an office worker, has noticed that things are improving lately and was reassured.

"I saw on TV that local leaders are no longer wearing masks," Huang said. "So I felt more relaxed and comfortable going out to dine with friends after staying at home for about two months."