BEIJING, May 6 Reuters Domestic travellers spent 166.9 billion yuan 23.13 billion during one of China39;s longest breaks, the May Day holiday, for a rise of 13.5 from prepandemic levels, government data showed on Monday, but expenditure per head lagged 2019 rates.

Boosting consumer confidence has presented a key challenge for Chinese authorities this year amid a declining property market, high youth unemployment and deflation pressures.

The total spent over the May 1 to 5 holiday was 12.7 higher than last year, shortly after China lifted COVID19 curbs, and the tourism ministry recorded 295 million trips during the holiday.

But spending of 565.7 yuan per head during the event, a key opportunity for Chinese to go on family trips as the weather warms and flowers bloom, was down 11.5 from preCOVID levels in 2019, Reuters calculations based on official data show.

The data dampens hopes for rebounding consumption after spending strengthened during another recent holiday, the Tomb Sweeping festival.

Domestic airline fares fell in the runup to the holiday, as forecasts suggested more travellers were opting to drive instead, or had booked early to save.

The number of short trips grew noticeably during the break, Guotai Junan Securities said in a research note on Monday.

Growth in the number of trips in small cities and counties outstripped that in big cities, travel giant Trip.com added.

Boxoffice sales of 1.53 billion yuan roughly matched last year39;s figure of 1.52…