National holidays provide rare opportu-nities for the general public to travel and get a well-deserved rest, both physically and mentally, from their daily work routine.

However, problems exposed by travel arrangements involving hundreds of millions of people, from overburdened tourist accommodation facilities at major scenic spots and poor services to intolerable traffic congestion on the main roads, have sparked speculation over whether national holidays are a time for leisure or stress.

This year's National Day holiday, which concluded on Monday, offers much food for thought. Traffic congestion has become a common topic in discussions on the advantages and disadvantages of vacationing.