YINTAI

If not for the epidemic, Huang Xin, Administration Manager of Yintai Tourism's Zhejiang Yongkang Fangyan Scenic Area would long have reunited with his wife and daughter in Wuhan. When Huang Xin reserved his air ticket at the end of 2019 to return home to celebrate the Spring Festival, little did he expect that the wonderful reunion he had anticipated would be so long in coming.

When he left Wuhan, "Papa" was the only thing his daughter could say. She has since grown from a tottering toddler to an active little girl who can recite five poems at one go. Huang Xin could only interact with his family via daily video calls.

He is not alone. Many at Yintai Tourism also have long-term job postings away from home. The epidemic may have stalled their plans to return home for the Spring Festival, but has never affected their strong work ethic.

The only scenic area in China to open to the public 24 hours a day, Fangyan Scenic Area's New Year prayer for blessings ceremony has long been a boutique tourism event. Past records show that 170,000 people visit the area each Spring Festival, and this period accounts for 1/3 of full-year revenue. When the epidemic broke out however, all the preparatory work came to naught. On January 22, in accordance with the arrangements made by Yintai Tourism, Fangyan Scenic Area immediately formed a epidemic prevention and control leading group, and quickly adjusted its operational plan.

As the coronavirus spread quickly, Fangyan Scenic Area decided to close temporarily with effect from 3pm on January 26. Without anyone noticing or supervising, Huang Xin and his colleagues continued to carry out anti-epidemic measures rigorously nonetheless, safeguarding the safety and health of the 92 km² scenic area.

On February 19, Fangyan Scenic Area received notice to "open in an orderly manner" on February 21. Although the timing was tight and the task was complicated, thanks to the effort of Huang Xin and his colleagues, every work detail was executed very well. The Scenic Area reopened smoothly on February 22.

At the time this article was published, Huang Xin had not had a family reunion for more than four months. His colleagues would sometimes ask him what he would most like to do, and he would always answer, "Return to Wuhan to spend quality time with my family after all our colleagues return to their respective posts, and I've finished my tasks on hand."