China has kicked off one of its first long post-pandemic holidays, and an industrial town with cheap barbecue is so popular that authorities are telling people to go elsewhere

• Zibo, an industrial city in east China, has become a top hotspot for domestic holidaymakers.
• Zibo's popularity exploded after videos of its affordable local barbecue went viral on social media.

China's tourism industry is back in business after nearly three years of on-off COVID-19 lockdowns — and a little-known city is emerging a surprise winner.

Zibo, an industrial city in the east China province of Shandong, has become a top hotspot for holidaymakers for China's week-long May Day public holiday, which started on Saturday. It's so popular that Zibo city authorities are urging people to visit during off-peak periods or to consider going to other places in the Shandong province instead.

Zibo's popularity exploded over the last two months after college students' videos of the city's affordable local barbecue went viral on social media, according to state-owned China Daily. Zibo's barbecue skewers are unique in that they are partially cooked before they are served to diners, who can then finish cooking them on their own, per China Daily.

The viral posts of Zibo's barbecue sticks spurred young people from across China to visit the city. Before long, other people were following in their footsteps. In March, Zibo received 4.8 million visitors — more than its local population of 4.7 million people.

Zibo authorities are indicating that the city may be overwhelmed during the long holiday.

"Although we have gone all out, we may not be able to provide the service that is able to fully meet the needs of tourists," the Zibo local government said in a notice — billed as a "letter" to travelers — on April 27. It added that the recent influx in tourist numbers has caused "some troubles and inconveniences" to visitors.

Local authorities in Zibo told state news agency Xinhua that hotel bookings surged 800% this "Golden Week" holiday when compared to 2019. Train tickets from Beijing to the city on May 1 were also sold out in just one minute after their release.

Zibo's local government warned travelers of traffic jams, parking issues, and long queues.

"Beautiful scenery and good food are not limited to Zibo," it said in its notice, as it continued to recommend other sights and experiences elsewhere in "hospitable Shandong."

But it seems the notice did little to deter food-loving travelers to Zibo.

"Some customers arrived in the morning and waited until evening to enjoy a barbecue supper," Yang Benxin, the owner of a local barbecue eatery, told the Chinese Communist Party-owned People's Daily on Saturday.

At least one person waiting for seats got fed while she was still in a queue at 10 p.m. on Sunday. A viral video on the Weibo microblog showed diners handing a woman several barbecue skewers before inviting her to take a seat. In the comments, many people praised the city's hospitality.

"Such enthusiasm is the fundamental reason attracting people to Zibo," wrote a Weibo user whose comments got over 5,000 likes.

"Only in Zibo did I realize that barbecue can really fill you up. It isn't expensive too," wrote another Weibo user, whose comments got nearly 400 likes.

Zibo's vibrant tourism scene mirrors a recovery in the sector in China with 240 million trips expected over the five-day holiday, according to the government-backed China Tourism Academy, per Xinhua.