SHANGHAI, Sept 29 -- MORE than half of Chinese people think of the Golden Week holiday in favorable terms, despite complaints about overcrowding and related problems, a top tourism official said yesterday.

The survey was conducted by China Central Television last year.

Complaints, however, about overcrowding, poor service and a scarcity of hotel rooms have spurred debate over whether the weeklong holiday is justified or needs some adjustment, said Wang Zhifa, deputy director of the China National Tourism Administration. "The Golden Week holiday not only helps boost the country's domestic consumption and economy, but promotes awareness of going out and enjoying life," Wang said.

The number of tourists during the National Day holiday in 2005 rose 10.5 percent year on year to 111 million, and the total income reached 46.3 billion yuan (US$5.79 billion), up 16.6 percent over 2004, statistics from the administration show.

Citing the CCTV survey last year, Wang said more than 60 percent of respondents said they need the holidays to arrange travel.

But in response to the complaints, the government established a special organization to address the issues to ensure that people enjoyed the holiday, Wang said.

The national holiday office will do further research and solicit public opinion to discuss the necessity of a change in the Golden Week holiday system, he said.

Considering the conflict between demand and supply that has dampened some people's enjoyment of travel and holidays, the office may also advise the State Council to introduce some adjustment for a better holiday, he added.

More than 45 percent of people believed the tourism environment during the Golden Week had been much improved and about 40 percent believed it was the same, according to the survey by CCTV, China's national TV station.

China adopted the three annual Golden Weeks - the Lunar New Year, Labor Day (May 1-7), and the country's National Day (October 1-7) - in 1999.

As the Mid-Autumn Festival, China's traditional festival for family reunions falls on October 6 this year, some people could extend their holiday, Wang said.