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<ul><li>Over the years, there were growing calls by the Hindu community to declare <keyword id="188" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="diwali" source="Orion">Diwali</keyword> a school holiday. </li><li>Banks said <keyword id="6355838" type="General" weightage="80" keywordseo="new-york" source="Orion">New York</keyword> City is home to the whole world and children from all communities and backgrounds go to school here.</li><li>Consul General of India in New York Randhir Jaiswal thanked Adams for making Diwali a school public holiday.</li></ul> In a significant decision, Diwali will be a public school holiday in New York City starting 2023, with Mayor Eric Adams saying this sends a message about the significance of the city's inclusiveness and this "long overdue" step will encourage children to learn about the festival of lights. Adams, joined by New York Assembly Member Jenifer Rajkumar and New York City Schools Chancellor David Banks, said Thursday that in conversations on the campaign trail around how to run the state better, he "learned so much" about the Diwali holiday and what this festival means. He said that by declaring Diwali a holiday in New York City public schools, "we wanted to send a loud and clear message to the countless number of people who acknowledge this period of time of celebration. "At the same time, this is an educational moment because when we acknowledge Diwali, we are going to encourage children to learn about Diwali. We're going to have them start talking about what it is to celebrate the festival of lights, and how to turn the light on within yourself," he said. Consul General of India in New York Randhir Jaiswal thanked Adams for making Diwali a school public holiday. "This had been a long pending <keyword id="15308237" type="TOPIC" weightage="60" keywordseo="Demand" source="TOPIC" sourcekeytype="economy,investopedia" meta.keywordsubtype="null" meta.msid="92562122" meta.seopath="d/demand" meta.entityname="Demand" meta.hostid="153" meta.entityid="demand">demand</keyword> of the Indian-American community. The recognition gives a deeper meaning to diversity and pluralism in New York City while allowing people from all walks of life to experience, celebrate and enjoy Indian ethos and heritage," he told PTI. Rajkumar, the first South Asian-American woman ever to be elected to a state office in New York, said that today she is proud to say that "our time has come. The time has come to recognise over 200,000 New Yorkers of the Hindu, Buddhist, <keyword id="28599" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="sikh" source="Orion">Sikh</keyword> and Jain faiths who celebrate Diwali, the festival of lights." Adams said "as we deal with so much darkness that is around us, we fail to realise the overwhelming amount of light that is around us. And when we take this period to acknowledge Diwali, we are acknowledging the light that is within us, the light that clearly can push away darkness and that is why this is so significant." Adams added that the city has identified public holidays like <keyword id="15315768" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="eid-and-lunar-new-year" source="Orion">Eid and Lunar New Year</keyword>. "We do it with so many other days and so many other cultures that we acknowledge. It is long overdue to say to our Hindu, Sikh, Jain, and Buddhist students and communities that, we see you, we acknowledge you. The inclusiveness of this city is extremely significant and this is our opportunity to say that in a loud way." Over the years, there were growing calls by the Hindu community to declare Diwali a school holiday given the hundreds of thousands of Indians living in the area. Once the legislation goes through, Diwali will be a school holiday in the City of New York starting next year. Rajkumar noted that people have said that there is simply not enough room in the <keyword id="15315767" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="new-york-city-school" source="Orion">New York City School</keyword> calendar to have a Diwali school holiday. This week, Rajkumar introduced legislation in the state <keyword id="15311128" type="TOPIC" weightage="60" keywordseo="Capital" source="TOPIC" sourcekeytype="finance,investopedia" meta.keywordsubtype="null" meta.msid="92540240" meta.seopath="c/capital" meta.entityname="Capital" meta.hostid="153" meta.entityid="capital">capital</keyword> that makes room for Diwali in the school calendar. She said her legislation removes Anniversary Day, an "obscure and antiquated" day created in the 1800s so that it can be replaced with Diwali, "celebrated by a growing number of New Yorkers." "When this is done, the New York City Department of Education will be able to institute the Diwali holiday on the school calendar," she said, adding that she has brought this bill to the table so that all South Asian and Indo-Caribbean New Yorkers will have a seat at the table. According to New York State education laws, there must be a minimum of 180 days of school instruction. However, in order to meet this 180-day minimum requirement, no more holidays could be instituted in the school calendar. Rajkumar said that by removing the antiquated Anniversary Day school holiday that is observed by no one, her legislation makes the room for Diwali to be a school holiday while also meeting the 180-day minimum requirement for days of school instruction. She thanked Adams for his support, saying this is the first time in the history of the city that a mayor has committed to making Diwali a school holiday. "For over two decades South Asians and Indo-Caribbeans in New York have been fighting for the Diwali school holiday. I stand on the shoulders of those advocates. And now we are finally going to realise that goal," she said. "Next week we will celebrate Diwali, a celebration of good over evil, light over darkness, of the human ability to overcome, exemplified by <keyword id="52950" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="rama" source="Orion">Rama</keyword>'s defeat of evil. We will celebrate the Hindu principles of interfaith, harmony, love, and tolerance for all New Yorkers. The same Hindu principles inspired the great American civil <keyword id="15315769" type="TOPIC" weightage="60" keywordseo="Rights" source="TOPIC" sourcekeytype="entertainment,investopedia" meta.keywordsubtype="null" meta.seopath="r/rights" meta.entityname="Rights" meta.hostid="153" meta.entityid="rights">rights</keyword> hero, <keyword id="95368" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="martin-luther-king" source="Orion">Martin Luther King</keyword>. We will celebrate our culture's place in the great civil rights tradition of our country. The sky is the limit for our community," she said. Banks said New York City is home to the whole world and children from all communities and backgrounds go to school here. "And it is important that we honour and we recognise all of our young people. And so the recognition of Diwali is yet another opportunity for us to begin to celebrate, to uplift and to honour those young people, their family and their faith. The celebration of light, the triumph of light over darkness is critically important." SEE ALSO: <a target="_blank" class="c-link c-message_attachment__title_link" href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/news/ed-freezes-bitcoins-worth-rs-7-12-crore-in-e-nuggets-gaming-app-case/articleshow/95002038.cms">ED freezes Bitcoins worth Rs 7.12 crore in E-nuggets gaming app case</a> <a target="_blank" class="c-link c-message_attachment__title_link" href="https://www.businessinsider.in/international/news/diwali-celebrations-begin-at-times-square-vp-kamala-harris-and-former-prez-donald-trump-to-attend/articleshow/95001470.cms">Diwali celebrations begin at Times Square: VP Kamala Harris and former Prez Donald Trump to attend</a> <a target="_blank" class="c-link c-message_attachment__title_link" href="https://www.businessinsider.in/personal-finance/news/should-you-buy-gold-this-dhanteras/articleshow/94997439.cms">Should you buy gold this Dhanteras?</a>

Diwali to be public school holiday in New York City from 2023, Mayor says

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Holiday markets are mini examples of the ideal city.</li><li>Patrons enjoy shopping, activities, and socializing — all in a walkable space.</li></ul>The hottest spot in town this time of year is the holiday market.People all over the country are flocking to the temporary stalls and cottages to get their mulled wine, seasonal treats, and artisan crafts. Live music, light shows, and bustling, car-free paths transform many downtowns into Hallmark-style holiday villages.The <a target="_blank" href="https://www.marketplace.org/2022/12/22/the-economics-of-holiday-markets-explained/">growing popularity</a> of public markets — one of the most ancient forms of urbanism — is a reminder that people thrive in walkable cities with mixed-use development."People love when a lot of interesting, fun, delicious, and beautiful things are concentrated in the same place that we can easily navigate on foot," said Tayana Panova, a researcher who studies the built environment in <a target="_blank" href="https://www.tiktok.com/@dr.tpanova/video/7180332903493209390">a TikTok video</a>. "It's human nature to like places like this because they're stimulating and entertaining, and they draw in a lot of people, which we as social creatures also love to be around."Holiday markets also bring people outside during some of the coldest, darkest weeks of the year when downtown streets are emptier, and people are more isolated at home. They can be a great way <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/economy-new-york-city-edmonton-winter-cities-fight-loneliness-2023-12">to fight loneliness and seasonal depression</a> while revitalizing struggling urban centers.Cities should ideally bring people together to meet, collaborate, exchange goods and services, and live and work affordably and in harmony. Public holiday markets offer a microcosm of a functional, vibrant downtown with a healthy dose of good cheer. As <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/retail-apocalypse-means-80000-store-closures-next-5-years-2021-4">malls</a>, <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/commercial-real-estate-crash-work-from-home-us-offices-outlook-2023-12">offices</a>, and <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/loneliness-epidemic-decline-in-third-places-friends-parks-community-2023-9">affordable third places</a> continue their decline and people increasingly work, communicate, and play online, we're even more in need of dense, walkable, mixed-use urbanism to bring us together. Holiday markets, farmers' markets, makers' markets, and other fairs and festivals are also a boon to local economies. Much research has found that <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/open-streets-new-york-city-increased-spending-businesses-fifth-avenue-2023-10">walkable</a>, bikeable, and car-light places are <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/downtowns-cities-holiday-shopping-eliminating-street-parking-spots-boosts-retail-2023-10">better for business</a> than car-dominated environments. People are likelier to stop and buy something in a friendly, inviting, and navigable place.Small businesses and artisans use these markets to supercharge their <a target="_blank" href="https://www.marketplace.org/2022/12/22/the-economics-of-holiday-markets-explained/">busiest weeks of the year</a>. The markets can act as an incubator, allowing sellers who don't yet have storefronts to test out their products, grow their customer base, and eventually scale their businesses.Public markets, thanks mostly to <a target="_blank" href="https://www.ers.usda.gov/data-products/chart-gallery/gallery/chart-detail/?chartId=104402">a surge in new farmers' markets</a>, are increasingly popular in the US. But holiday markets are still overlooked by many cities and towns, according to Ilana Preuss, the CEO of the consultancy Recast City and the author of <a target="_blank" class="Link" href="https://affiliate.insider.com?h=4fda96f51f4c879fef42b1df0f6193107ffd14aa057aff2802ca18fc9cf2f6e6&amp;postID=65831c34c20aecbe8fd6b5f7&amp;postSlug=holiday-markets-economic-social-benefits-mixed-use-development-walkable-cities-2023-12&amp;site=bi&amp;u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.amazon.com%2FRecast-Your-City-Small-Scale-Manufacturing%2Fdp%2F1642831921">"Recast Your City: How to Save Your Downtown with Small-Scale Manufacturing."</a>"In my experience working with dozens of smaller cities and counties across the nation, I have found that holiday markets and farmers' markets are not typically part of the local economic development strategy," Preuss wrote <a target="_blank" href="https://www.governing.com/community/your-holiday-market-its-an-opportunity-to-revive-downtown">in Governing</a>. "They are instead looked upon merely as fun occasions to brighten placemaking — one-off events not connected to local business development training, capital opportunities or retail space leasing."But some elected officials know how beneficial holiday markets can be to local businesses and the health of their cities and towns. Rep. Elissa Slotkin, a Democrat from Michigan who's also running to represent her state in the US Senate, promoted downtown Detroit's holiday market on social media earlier this month. Some cities, including in Slotkin's home state, have embraced permanent public markets beyond farmers' markets. Panova points out in her video that <a target="_blank" href="https://www.muskegonwesternmarket.com/">Muskegon, Michigan,</a> and <a target="_blank" href="https://www.berwynshops.com/">Berwyn, Illinois,</a> have built year-round markets with simple structures resembling small cottages to house local businesses on vacant lots. The shopping districts are examples of how American downtowns can become more inviting and human-scale as they reinvent themselves in an age of remote work.

Hallmark-style holiday markets are tiny examples of how much better our cities could be

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Yevgeny Prigozhin, the leader of the Wagner Group, died in a plane crash outside Moscow in August.</li><li>It was one of the most significant deaths in Russia's year of fighting in Ukraine.</li></ul>All eyes turned to Russia on August 23 as the world watched to see if <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/who-is-yevgeny-Prigozhin-russian-tycoon-and-vladimir-putin-confidant-2022-10">Yevgeny Prigozhin</a>, the bombastic leader of Russia's Wagner Group, was among the dead after <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/wagner-group-yevgeny-prigozhin-russian-plane-crash-state-media-2023-8">a private Wagner plane crashed</a> outside a Moscow airport. Prigozhin's assassination — which Russian President Vladimir Putin's close friend, Nikolai Patrushev, reportedly <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/wagner-boss-prigozhin-plane-crash-assassination-putin-patrushev-wsj-2023-12">orchestrated</a> — was among the year's most significant moments in Russia's war in Ukraine. Within days of the crash, investigators confirmed <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/wagner-group-yevgeny-prigozhin-russian-plane-crash-state-media-2023-8">Prigozhin had been on the plane</a>, cementing the shocking — yet entirely predictable — demise of the mercenary boss who briefly racked up a roster of short-lived military successes amid the Ukraine war before pushing his luck and piquing the ire of his onetime ally, Putin. The crash itself reeked of <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/did-putin-kill-prigozhin-wagner-group-death-scenarios-2023-8">retribution</a> for the armed uprising Prigozhin had staged against Russia's defense brass just two months earlier — a short-lived, quickly quashed mutiny that resulted in Prigozhin's exile to Belarus.Two months later, he was dead. Business Insider looked back on Prigozhin's spectacular fall with a top war analyst to understand how the cinematic saga began at <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/russias-wagner-group-decimated-soledar-for-short-lived-political-win-2023-9">the Ukrainian salt town of Soledar</a>, just 10 miles from Bakhmut, in January 2023. "Soledar was a big turning point in the relationship between Putin and Prigozhin and why the Russian Ministry of Defence got the upper hand in that relationship," Kateryna Stepanenko, a Russia analyst and deputy team lead at the Institute for the Study of War, or ISW, told BI. <h2><div type="image" title="Ukraine artillery soldiers troops Bakhmut" height="1334" width="1778" msid="106355578" hostid="261" sizebytes="364114"></div></h2><h2>Prigozhin strikes a bargain</h2>When Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022, Putin erroneously believed the conflict would be over in <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/russia-says-war-will-last-until-2025-wanted-to-beat-ukraine-in-days-2023-9">two short days</a>. But by mid-May 2022, Russia was running out of reserves, a dilemma that created an opportunity for Prigozhin, who could provide <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/experts-putin-cant-solve-manpower-problem-without-admitting-failure-2022-9#:~:text=Russia%20is%20suffering%20from%20a,far%2C%20an%20expert%20told%20Insider.">much-needed manpower</a> with his Wagner Group troops.By spring 2022, Wagner forces were in the throes of war in Ukraine, fighting in Popasna, about 25 kilometers from Bakhmut. The group eventually claimed the city as a small Russian victory.Seeking political power on the heels of his win, Prigozhin determined his Wagner forces could also take nearby Bakhmut, which would fulfill a key Russian directive and allow the country to expand control of the besieged region, Stepanenko said. The city itself offered <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/bakhmut-russia-grinds-for-9-months-city-limited-strategic-importance-2023-2#:~:text=Bakhmut%20may%20not%20be%20that%20important&amp;text=But%20ultimately%2C%20experts%20say%2C%20the,Russia%20has%20put%20into%20it.&amp;text=Capturing%20the%20city%20also%20doesn,tries%20to%20move%20beyond%20it.">little strategic advantage to Russia or Ukraine</a> despite the resources both sides poured into the battle.ISW assessed that in late spring or early summer, Prigozhin reportedly struck a deal with Putin, promising the capture of Bakhmut by New Year's, Stepanenko said, citing the cultural significance of the holiday in Russia.But Soledar stood between Wagner and Bakhmut. The small city was home to about 15,000 people before the war broke out and is the site of the famous <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/inside-salt-mines-soledar-wagner-russia-claims-seized-2023-1">Soledar salt mines</a>, which once supplied more than 90% of Ukraine's salt. Even with his surplus of soldiers, Prigozhin would struggle to take Soledar by mid-January, let alone deliver the larger city of Bakhmut by the new year.His grandiose efforts to mitigate his failures helped seal his fate. <div type="image" title="A mural depicting mercenaries of Russia's Wagner Group that reads: &quot;Wagner Group — Russian knights.&quot;" height="978" width="1305" msid="106355579" hostid="261" sizebytes="141158"></div><h2>A broiling feud</h2>Prigozhin's increasing political prominence and <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/wagner-group-prigozhin-backs-video-cursing-russia-top-general-gerasimov-2022-12">loud-mouthed criticisms of the country's top defense brass,</a> particularly Russian Minister of Defence Sergei Shoigu and Chief of the General Staff Valery Gerasimov, earned him little favor with his adversaries. Putin had built a two-decade regime on <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/putin-purges-advisors-but-hes-responsible-for-misinformation-2022-4">allowing rival factions in his government to feud</a> so long as they never turned their animosity toward him. But by fall 2022, it was clear even Putin was growing frustrated with his defense officials' slow progress in Ukraine. The Russian president addressed the slow-going nature of the war by appointing Sergey Surovikin, a hardline Russian general — and Prigozhin's political ally — as commander in chief of the Russian Aerospace Forces in October 2022. The move emboldened Prigozhin, who saw the command change as the fruit of his efforts to discredit the Ministry of Defence and its top leaders. Wagner troops doubled down on their efforts to break through Soledar in October, Stepanenko said, employing vicious human-wave attacks and a litany of atrocities in the small town. "It looked like Wagner was desperate to win it," Stepanenko said. "They didn't care about what would happen to Ukrainian forces. They didn't care what would happen to their own forces.""Putin really needed a victory and Prigozhin knew that," she added. <div type="image" title="Russian President Vladimir Putin with Russian Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu and Chief of General Staff Valery Gerasimov in 2021." height="940" width="1880" msid="106355580" hostid="261" sizebytes="216672"></div><h2>Prigozhin spins Soledar's significance </h2>As fall turned to winter and the battle in Soledar raged on, it became clear that Prigozhin had little chance of delivering Bakhmut by January. But that didn't stop Wagner forces from employing barbaric tactics to try and win the city. Facing certain failure in Bakhmut, the ever-industrious mercenary boss went to work setting himself up for success in Soledar.Prigozhin started to paint Soledar as a glistening beacon in of itself, with its miles of cavernous salt mines that he said could be used to store weapons and ammunition."He was trying to weaponize the information space to convince the Kremlin that this was a bigger deal than it was," Stepanenko said. Prigozhin traveled to Soledar personally in the days before the city fell, documenting his time there in his signature Telegram videos and bringing Wagner-affiliated Russian military bloggers with him to witness Wagner's daily advances, ISW said. He even <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/russian-mercenary-boss-gloats-that-army-no-part-recent-victory-2023-1">claimed victory in Soledar</a> before the Russian Defence Ministry officially announced the city's capture.After the city officially fell on January 12, Prigozhin staged a triumphant victory speech in what he said were the sparkling salt caves of Soledar.But Soledar wasn't Bakhmut. And Putin wasn't pleased. The president <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/russias-top-general-takes-over-ukraine-war-likely-to-escalate-2023-1">replaced Surovikin with Gerasimov</a> as top commander on January 11, appointing the longstanding Prigozhin enemy to the top position. "Putin was preparing for the fact that Prigozhin would not be able to accomplish his goal. He was starting to prepare to switch sides," Stepanenko said.Putin made a rare public-television appearance on January 15, announcing the fall of Soledar. During his speech, Putin didn't mention Wagner's role in securing the city at all, <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/russian-army-wagner-group-feuding-ukraine-war-2023-1">a public signal he had switched favor from Prigozhin and Wagner back to Shoigu</a>, <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/russian-army-wagner-group-feuding-ukraine-war-2023-1">Gerasimov</a>, and the defense ministry, Stepanenko said. "The Kremlin snub against Wagner forces likely angered Prigozhin a lot," Stepanenko said. "I think that's when he realized he might not have the same relationship with the Kremlin that he once had."It was a breaking point Prigozhin would never recover from. The following months would see the mercenary leader spiral even further into his vendetta against Shoigu and Gerasimov until he took up arms against them in a last-ditch effort to see his enemies replaced.<div type="image" title="Yevgeny Prigozhin, the founder of the Wagner private-mercenary group." height="1280" width="2560" msid="106355581" hostid="261" sizebytes="215032"></div><h2>Final days</h2>Russia quickly moved on from Soledar, refocusing its efforts on Bakhmut where the battle would rage for another four months until the city fell in May. Wagner fighters represented the vast majority of Russian forces fighting for the city that spring and <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/bakhmut-russia-using-battle-decimate-wagner-group-think-tank-says-2023-3">suffered significant losses throughout the battle.</a>As the months dragged on, Prigozhin became increasingly incensed over what he believed to be a targeted effort by the Russian Ministry of Defence to <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/wagner-boss-yevgeny-prigozhin-vladimir-putin-cut-him-off-2023-3">withhold ammunition</a> from his Wagner forces and <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/wagner-stops-recruiting-prisoners-suicide-missions-russia-ukraine-2023-2">curtail the group's recruiting practices</a> amid the fight for Bakhmut. The mercenary leader began posting manic Telegram videos in which he castigated Shoigu and Gerasimov in expletive-laden tirades, often <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/wagner-boss-screams-swears-putins-war-chiefs-shoigu-gerasimov-2023-5">using dead Wagner soldiers as set pieces</a>. He even wielded his Wagner forces as blackmail, repeatedly threatening to pull his troops from the Bakhmut front lines. When the city finally fell, Putin made sure to publicly congratulate the Wagner Group in the hopes of avoiding "a repetition of the backlash that followed their immediate failure to do so when Wagner captured Soledar," ISW wrote at the time. But the damage had been done.Prigozhin quickly pulled his troops from Bakhmut before establishing defensive positions in the city, leaving the Russian Defence Ministry in a perilous position, Stepanenko said. Russian defense forces were <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/ukraine-bakhmut-longest-bloodiest-battle-comes-high-cost-russia-2023-3">subsequently forced to adapt on the spot</a>, which allowed Ukrainian troops to make some gains in the area in the aftermath of its fall. Seven months later, fighting rages on near Bakhmut as Ukraine and Russia continue to engage in positional fighting in the region, Stepanenko said.The final blow for Prigozhin came in June when the Russian defense ministry announced all "volunteer formations" or PMCs would be forced to sign contracts directly with the government, a move widely seen as a targeted effort to take control of Wagner and strip Prigozhin of his power. Less than two weeks later, Prigozhin staged his fated mutiny, a final, misguided attempt to curry Putin's favor. Prigozhin's efforts to repackage his failure in Bakhmut as a victory in Soledar set the mercenary leader down a brazen path in the final eight months of his life, ending in a fiery crash outside a Moscow airfield and an easy political win for Putin. "Prigozhin overestimated the importance of his loyalty to Putin's regime," Stepanenko said.

What led to one of the most significant — but least surprising — deaths in Russia's war with Ukraine in 2023

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Texas spent just under $9 million busing migrants across the country over the holidays.</li><li>That figure was provided to Insider following a public records request.</li></ul>On the night before Christmas, three buses full of migrants <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/migrants-dropped-kamala-harris-naval-observatory-christmas-eve-reports-2022-12">pulled up</a>, unannounced, outside Vice President Kamala Harris's home in Washington, DC, with dozens of people — some just in t-shirts — left to fend for themselves in freezing temperatures.It was part of a stunt organized by Texas Gov. Greg Abbott, a Republican who accuses the Biden administration of failing to secure the US-Mexico border.According to public records obtained by Insider, Abbott's migrant bus program cost the Texas Division of Emergency Management $8.97 million over the November and December holidays.Since it began in April of last year, the program has now cost taxpayers roughly $29 million.Renae Eze, a spokesperson for Abbott, defended the price tag."The real cost to consider is that on the small Texas border towns that are burdened and overwhelmed as the Biden Administration dumps migrants into their communities," Eze said in a statement.The Texas governor, who won re-election last fall, has sold his busing program as a means of relieving the stress on these border communities — and also as a way to shame liberals and their "sanctuary cities," which generally limit cooperation with federal immigration enforcement.In November, when Texas began dropping off migrants in Philadelphia, Abbott said the program would continue until President Joe Biden addresses the "invasion along the border."Many of those on these Texas buses are people seeking asylum — a legal right — fleeing poverty and political persecution in countries such as <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/marthas-vineyard-migrants-representative-of-new-wave-of-migration-2022-9">Nicaragua, Cuba, and Venezuela</a>. Under Title 42, a Trump-era pandemic policy, most people can no longer apply for asylum at legal ports of entry, forcing them to instead cross the US-Mexico border and present themselves to US agents to ask for legal protection.Those who get on Texas's buses do so voluntarily, after being screened by the Department of Homeland Security, many wishing to be relocated closer to friends or family elsewhere. But migrant advocates have criticized Texas authorities for not sharing exact arrival times or providing much more than a 36-hour heads up that a bus is coming, saying it has created unnecessary crisis scenes for political purposes.Since April 2022, Texas has paid to relocate more than 16,690 migrants, according to the governor's office.In November, Domingo Garcia, president of the League of United Latin American Citizens, or LULAC, argued that the millions spent busing migrants would have been better spent elsewhere, <a href="https://www.wfaa.com/article/news/local/texas/records-show-texas-spent-more-than-20-million-bus-migrants-out-of-state/287-479329bd-6d5d-4939-a737-e5595696d442" target="_blank" rel="noopener">according to WFAA</a>."Instead of going for schools, scholarships, things that will improve the lives of Texans, here's the governor of Texas spending $20 million for a political stunt, using immigrants as political piñatas," Garcia told the Dallas outlet.Have a news tip? Email this reporter: <a href="mailto:cdavis@insider.com" target="_blank" rel="noopener">cdavis@insider.com</a>January 19, 2023: This story has been updated to include a statement from Abbott's spokesperson.

Texas spent nearly $9 million busing migrants over the holidays, according to records obtained by Insider

<ul><li>IT companies may not be hiring talent as slowdown curbs growth, but employees continue to search for jobs online. Naukri’s monthly active users at 12.1 million. </li><li>Cricket continued to give a boost to online food ordering apps in March. Daily active users online continue to increase month-on-month. </li><li>Despite the popularity of dating apps, young Indians continue to frequently visit online marriage portals and apps to find their true love. Matrimony apps see a jump in monthly and daily active users in March. </li></ul>On the face of it, there may be little or no connection between the white willow and online food ordering, but data shows that women in blue made Indians rather hungry in the month of March. And yes, most Indians also are as keen on marriage as ever, with matrimonial portals continuing to see higher month-on-month user metrics and app downloads. Three years after the pandemic struck, Indians are still addicted to their apps and are still looking for their dream job, if they are not planning their next vacation. From ordering food online to looking for jobs and homes online, Indian consumers are not putting the brakes on their online purchases just yet, even after the economy opened up completely post the lockdowns. App downloads continued in March as did higher monthly traffic across key consumer tech platforms. In the month of March, monthly and daily active users continued to surge across apps catering to consumer needs like online food ordering, travel, property rentals/purchases, groceries or even jobs. Yes, job searches have seen an unprecedented surge in the month of March shows data from Sensor Tower’s monthly data print. Leading technology services players may have slowed down on hiring, but employees are still flocking to job portals. According to a report by Bank of America, Naukri maintained its totem pole position in MAUs (monthly active users) with 12.1 million (+7.2% month on month) users and witnessed increase in daily active user base at 2.1 million (+6% MoM) in <keyword id="10294782" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="march-2023" source="Orion">March 2023</keyword>. LinkedIn has the highest DAUs or daily active users at 3.7 million and is a clear leader in terms of user retention at 33% followed by Naukri at 18%, says the report. Data shows that consumer apps have continued to see good traction in the month of March 2023 compared to February. What consumers have been interestingly visiting less frequently —- are the beauty apps like Nykaa and Purplle — whose traffic is down month-on-month. Beauty brands believe that omnichannel and physical store visits are the reason for the decline in online purchases. Food delivery &amp; grocery continue to see demand According to Bank of America’s India Internet report, a majority of online food delivery apps saw an increase in fresh app downloads and user metrics, while Swiggy saw a marginal decline in fresh downloads. Online food delivery apps launched special match day games to increase engagement, which resulted in higher ordering too. While Zomato launched ZPL prediction, Swiggy launched Match Day Mania. Not surprising that monthly active users of Zomato and Swiggy grew 4.9%/4.6% MoM to 53 million/35 million. Daily active users for both Zomato and Swiggy increased 2-3% MoM to 6.1 million/4.4 million, respectively. Domino’s Pizza continued to be third in all metrics. Swiggy showed a higher retention at 13% vs Zomato at 11%. Real estate continues to be hot property online Housing continued to see the highest online traffic, as searches for rented and ownership continued to jump. Both monthly active users and app downloads were healthy for online players. Monthly active users increased sequentially for all the apps catering to housing, while daily active users grew for 99acres and Housing. Traffic on Magicbricks remained stable. Monthly active users on 99acres MAUs witnessed steep growth +14.3% compared to February. In terms of user retention, Housing continues to lead at 11%, followed by 99acres and Magicbricks at 9%. Revenge travel is still a big deal With the onset of summer, consumers are planning their next trip, which has resulted in strong traction for online travel apps like Cleartrip and Makemytrip. User metrics improved for Cleartrip, GoIbibo and MakeMyTrip; while Yatra and EaseMyTrip witnessed a decline, says Bank of America. MakeMyTrip monthly and daily users inched upwards (+9%/4% MoM) ahead of the upcoming summer holiday season in May/June 2023. Cleartrip MAUs/DAUs both grew 44.8% MoM to 1.3 million /0.1 million, respectively, majorly driven by launch of bus services in over 90 cities and various offers like zero convenience fees and flat 10% off on all bus bookings. MakeMyTrip continues to be the leader in MAUs, DAUs and retention; with 15.8 million MAUs/1.5 million DAUs while Goibibo has 8.5 million MAUs/ 0.7 million DAUs. High five for fashion apps As social distancing has given way to more contact intensive interactions, demand for fashion apparel has also increased meaningfully. Consumers continue to look for bargains online and Ajio’s All Star sale has delivered the numbers. According to data, Ajio’s monthly active users showed a sharp increase sequentially as downloads of the app increased. Ajio’s MAU/DAU base rocketed 22%/26% sequentially. Myntra/Nykaa Fashion’s MAU base improved 3% MoM each while DAU base saw a slight 1-2% decline. In terms of user retention, Myntra is at 17% followed by Ajio at 16%, says the report. Marriages are forever Young Indians continue to look for their perfect partner. User metrics and downloads witnessed an increase across all apps. Shaadi.com continued to be a leader with monthly and daily active users at 9 million/2.9 million, respectively in March 2023. Jeevansathi’s monthly numbers grew 13% month-on-month, while daily users increased by 8% compared to February. BharatMatrimony user metrics remained largely stable. Jeevansathi has the highest user retention at 34% followed by BharatMatrimony at 33%. SEE ALSO <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/stock-market/markets/news/-some-sectors-will-benefit-from-lower-energy-prices-in-fy24-a-balasubramanian/articleshow/99722850.cms">Earnings to remain volatile in FY24, but some sectors will benefit from lower energy prices, says Aditya Birla Sun Life MF’s CEO A Balasubramanian</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/corporates/news/zepto-preps-for-public-listing-in-2-years-brings-in-ramesh-bafna-as-cfo-to-lead-ipo-process/articleshow/99514143.cms">Zepto preps for public listing in 2 years; Brings in Ramesh Bafna as CFO to lead IPO process</a>

Consumers continue to throng apps in search of Roti, Kapda & Makaan, March sees healthy user metrics and app downloads

Welcome back. <a href="https://twitter.com/dandefrancesco">Dan DeFrancesco</a> checking in from NYC and hoping that you didn't already break your New Year's resolution.The first working week of the year is always a weird one. While many are spending time catching up on emails missed over the holidays, there's usually one bit of news that typically breaks and gets us right back into the swing of things. In an effort to get you up to speed, we compiled a bunch of our stories that identify big themes and storylines for this year. But first, Wells Fargo takes a new approach to tech.If this was forwarded to you, <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/subscription/newsletter/10-things-on-wall-street">sign up here</a>. Download Insider's app <a href="https://www.insider.com/app">here</a>.<a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/wells-fargo-tech-strategy-reorganization-product-development-2022-12"></a>1. Wells' new-look tech teams.When building a banking tool or feature, do you have the people leading the project come from the tech or business side?On the one hand, people with a background in finance need to play a key role in the buildout to make sure the product is doing what it's supposed to do. But at the same time, you need the people who actually know the tech, and understand what is and isn't possible, to have a seat at the table.It's a conundrum that banks across the Street grapple with.Ather Williams III, who heads the Strategy, Digital, and Innovation team at Wells Fargo, spoke to Insider's Carter Johnson and Bianca Chan about how the bank <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/wells-fargo-tech-strategy-reorganization-product-development-2022-12">is trying to address that issue by creating so-called "garages"</a> as part of a multi-year reorganization focused on tech development.And while this might sound like the type of stuff consultants typically pitch you that hardly leads to results, the proof is in the pudding. This setup allowed the bank to roll out a new banking app <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/wells-fargo-tech-strategy-reorganization-product-development-2022-12">in less than half the time it normally would have taken</a>, Williams said. The change in approach comes at a critical juncture for the bank, <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/wells-fargo-scandal-bank-overdraft-late-fees-foreclosure-settlement-history-2022-12">which was fined nearly $4 billion</a> by regulators at the end of the year.<a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/wells-fargo-tech-strategy-reorganization-product-development-2022-12">Click here to read more about Wells Fargo's new approach to tech development.</a>In other news:<a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/public-cloud-trends-predictions-2023-for-banks-hedge-funds-finance-2022-12"></a><div type="image" title="banks and public cloud providers 2x1" height="600" width="1200" msid="96714654" hostid="261" sizebytes="32826"></div>2. Wall Street's big bet on the public cloud enters a new chapter. Finance firms have fully embraced the cloud, which means the fun is about to really begin. Nearly a dozen tech execs from top firms like Citadel, Goldman Sachs, and Blackstone <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/public-cloud-trends-predictions-2023-for-banks-hedge-funds-finance-2022-12">share their predictions for the top trends in the cloud</a>. 3. The key players in the red-hot private-credit market. As interest rates remain sky high, borrowers will continue to look for alternative avenues to borrow money. Insert private credit, a market that has already ballooned to $1.2 trillion. <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/private-credit-power-players-debt-executives-blackstone-kkr-ares-2022">Meet the 20 key executives powering the space</a>. 4. Venture capitalists look for a bounce-back year in tech. Tech startups had a brutal 2022, but all is not lost. From a surge in dealmaking to the rise of superpowered software, <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/tech-trends-venture-capital-startup-predictions-2023">these are the key trends top VCs are eyeing this year</a>. And while we are here, <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/venture-capital-rising-stars-startups-tech-2022-12">get to know these 71 rising-star VCs</a>. 5. Payments rule fintech in 2023. Fintechs were forced to navigate a market recalibration in 2022. But top investors are still bullish on the power of the payments space. <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/top-payment-investment-trends-2023-according-top-fintech-vcs-2022-10">These are the five types of fintechs they are most excited about</a>. 6. These are the tech companies PE firms are eyeing. We identified 34 tech companies that seem primed for a deal. <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/34-tech-companies-most-likely-acquired-private-equity-lbo-2022-12">These are the companies that could be in the crosshairs of investment firms, according to bankers and market data</a>. 7. Hollywood dealmaking in 2023. There are plenty of deals on horizon for Tinseltown. We've got an inside track <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/predictions-hollywood-media-deals-2023-netflix-wbd-comcast-disney-amazon-2022-12">on the top media targets and buyers</a>. Meanwhile, <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/hollywood-production-companies-acquistion-targets-streaming-wars-private-equity-2023">here are 21 production companies that could be acquired as streams look to build out their libraries</a>. 8. Inside the future-of-work. The workplace faced more disruption over the past three years than anywhere else. And the changes aren't going to stop anytime soon. <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/2023-future-of-work-trend-predictions-vcs-investors-2022-12">Here's what to expect in the new year, according to top VCs</a>. 9. Yes, crypto will still be a thing in 2023. Love it or hate it, crypto isn't going anywhere. <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/vc-predictions-crypto-web3-trends-2023-funding-exchanges-defi-nfts-2022-12">These are the trends investors are most excited about in the space</a>. 10. Everyone's buying the creator economy. As consolidation hits the space, expect more deals. <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/ma-predictions-for-creator-economy-and-influencer-marketing-in-2023-2022-12">Here's where bankers should be looking</a>. Curated by Dan DeFrancesco in New York. Feedback or tips? Email <a href="mailto:ddefrancesco@insider.com">ddefrancesco@insider.com</a>, tweet <a href="https://twitter.com/dandefrancesco">@dandefrancesco</a>, or <a href="https://affiliate.insider.com?postID=63adc2355178b001ea33fa54&amp;site=bi&amp;u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.linkedin.com%2Fin%2Fdan-defrancesco-29b12449%2F">connect on LinkedIn</a>. Edited by Jeffrey Cane (tweet <a href="https://twitter.com/jeffrey_cane">@jeffrey_cane</a>) in New York and Hallam Bullock (tweet <a href="https://twitter.com/hallam_bullock">@hallam_bullock</a>) in London.

Here's how to get geared up for 2023 on Wall Street

<ul class="summary-list"><li>The leisure and hospitality sector continues to drive US job gains, the Labor Department said. </li><li>Restaurants in particular are on a hiring frenzy as they experience a surge in dining. </li></ul>The last few months have been rough on technology employees with several high-profile companies from <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/microsoft-layoffs-google-apple-market-downturn-2023-1">Microsoft</a> and <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/amazon-layoffs-vp-rehiring-laid-off-employees-earths-best-employer-2023-3"> PayPal laying off thousands</a> of workers. Facebook parent company Meta is expected to announce a <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/meta-layoffs-second-round-next-week-2023-3">second round of layoffs this week</a>.<a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/google-layoffs-maps-cuts-investors-tech-2023-1">Many of the technology companies that increased headcount during the pandemic</a> are now cutting staff due to the uncertain economy and slowing growth.While inflation and interest rates remain high, highly publicized layoffs in tech and other industries are seemingly being offset by a hiring frenzy in restaurants, bars, and hotels. Leisure and hospitality is one of the key sectors driving job growth in the US over the past two months, according to the Labor Department, which released its February jobs report on Friday. <a href="https://www.bls.gov/news.release/empsit.nr0.htm" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The sector added 105,000 jobs in February,</a> accounting for over one-third of all jobs added last month.Restaurants and bars added 70,000 jobs in February after adding 99,000 jobs the month prior. Employment also continues to trend up in the travel accommodations segment and added 14,000 new workers.The leisure and hospitality sector encompasses restaurants, hotels, arts, entertainment such as theme parks, and other tourism-oriented businesses. <h2>Still a long way to go to meet demand</h2>Restaurants, bars, and hotels can't hire fast enough to fill jobs needed to serve a surge in demand in travel and dining. Sales at food services and drinking places in January increased by 7.2% compared to December and 25.2% versus the year prior, according to <a href="https://www.census.gov/retail/sales.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">US Census data</a>. Travel spending also was 4% above pre-pandemic levels in January, according to the <a href="https://www.ustravel.org/research/monthly-travel-data-report" target="_blank" rel="noopener">US Travel Association</a>.Both restaurants and hotels are getting closer to gaining back all the jobs lost during the pandemic. But they still have a ways to go. According to the National Restaurant Association, restaurants that offer table service were down 311,000 jobs as of the end of 2022 compared to staffing levels in February 2020. The number is comparable to the travel accommodation sector, which is down roughly 327,000 jobs compared to pre-pandemic levels, <a href="https://skift.com/blog/u-s-hotels-added-15000-workers-in-january/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">according to Skift</a>. Restaurant hiring tech firm Landed said it has seen the number of restaurant job applications on its platform increase by 269% year-over-year. The startup works with more than 400 companies across the US, including brands such as Cava, <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/what-it-costs-to-open-a-chick-fil-a-2016-1" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Chick-fil-A</a>, Little Caesars, and Panera Bread."The hiring landscape is still incredibly challenging, and despite a slow recovery to pre-pandemic levels, competition for great talent remains fierce," said <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/meet-33-tech-power-players-changing-how-restaurants-operate-2021-11#vivian-wang-ceo-of-landed-9">Vivian Wang</a>, CEO of Landed. The NRA also found that 62% of restaurants admit to being understaffed. "Eighty-seven percent of operators say they'll likely hire additional employees during the next 6 to 12 months if qualified applicants are available," the NRA said.Overall, the US Travel Association <a href="https://skift.com/blog/u-s-hotels-added-14000-workers-in-february/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">estimates about 2 million open roles</a> remain unfilled in leisure and hospitality. A new <a href="https://www.ahla.com/news/hotels-hiring-spree-better-wages-benefits-flexibility" target="_blank" rel="noopener">American Hotels &amp; Lodging Association</a> study found 87% of hotels are short-staffed, with housekeeping being a top need. Here's a look at who is hiring in restaurants and hospitality at large chains. Companies listed have more than 100 roles available in the US:<ul><li>In late January, <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/chipotle-to-hire-15000-restaurant-workers-plans-to-double-size-2023-1">Chipotle said it wants to hire 15,000 workers</a>. The fast-casual chain, which employs 100,000 people, said it needs more workers to staff its more than 3,100 restaurants from March to May, its busy season. The company also plans to double in size in the coming years.</li><li>Starbucks has about 1,500 jobs available in the US, including baristas and shift supervisors, according to its <a href="https://starbucks.eightfold.ai/careers?location=US&amp;pid=481051870898&amp;domain=starbucks.com&amp;sort_by=relevance&amp;location_distance_km=80&amp;microsite=Retail" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Careers</a> website. </li><li>McDonald's <a href="https://jobs.mchire.com/jobs?page_size=20&amp;page_number=10&amp;sort_by=distance&amp;sort_order=ASC" target="_blank" rel="noopener">"McHire" website</a> lists more than 50,000 jobs available in the US, including crew members, assistant managers, maintenance workers, and guest experience leads. </li><li><a href="https://jobs.olivegarden.com/search/searchjobs" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Olive Garden's career site</a> lists more than 7,300 job openings, with a particular need for bartenders. </li><li><a href="https://shakeshack.wd5.myworkdayjobs.com/External" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Shake Shack has 464 restaurant jobs open across the US.</a></li><li><a href="https://jobs.marriott.com/marriott/jobs?lang=en-US&amp;utm_medium=jobboard&amp;utm_source=MarriottCareersWebsite&amp;experienceLevels=Full-Time&amp;page=1&amp;brand=AC%20Hotels%7CAloft%20Hotels%7CAutograph%20Collection%20Hotels%7CEdition%20Hotels%7CElement%20Hotels%7CFairfield%20Inn%20%26%20Suites%7CGaylord%20Hotels%7CJW%20Marriott%7CMarriott%20Hotels%20Resorts%7CMarriott%20International,%20Inc.%7CRenaissance%20Hotels%7CResidence%20Inn%7CSheraton%20Hotels%20%26%20Resorts%7CSpringHill%20Suites%7CSt.%20Regis%20Hotels%20%26%20Resorts%7CThe%20Luxury%20Collection%7CThe%20Ritz-Carlton%7CTownePlace%20Suites%7CTribute%20Portfolio%7CW%20Hotels%7CWestin%20Hotels%20%26%20Resorts&amp;tags5=N&amp;location=United%20States&amp;woe=12&amp;stretchUnit=MILES&amp;stretch=50" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Marriott International</a> has more than 4,000 full-time job openings currently listed in the US, from housekeepers and cooks to front desk workers.</li><li><a href="https://jobs.hilton.com/us/en/hilton-jobs-google-campaign-2021?utm_source=google&amp;utm_medium=ppc&amp;utm_campaign=adwords-2021&amp;gclid=Cj0KCQjwk7ugBhDIARIsAGuvgPYgvPplqMbv1vUhuvql2uqU2x7_UVXBFf7k96kH5R2LaddXr7GgcrcaAjBHEALw_wcB">Hilton's career page</a> lists roughly 1,600 jobs available in the US. Jobs span from a senior events manager at a New York City Conrad Hotel location to housekeepers and pastry cooks nationwide.</li><li><a href="https://careers.ihg.com/en/search-and-apply/?area=unitedstates&amp;businessarea=hotel&amp;formtype=qs" target="_blank" rel="noopener">InterContinental Hotels Group</a> has 555 jobs available at its hotels, including Holiday Inn and Crowne Plaza in the US. Roles range from room attendants for suites to bell persons and a Banquet Sous Chef at InterContinental Boston.</li><li>Four Seasons Hotels &amp; Resorts has more than 700 full-time jobs listed on the <a href="https://fourseasons.wd3.myworkdayjobs.com/en-US/search/jobs?locationRegionStateProvince=de9b48948ef8421db97ddf4ea206e931&amp;locationRegionStateProvince=fc77e3a1ab36487f9646d14f7242dd77&amp;locationRegionStateProvince=00044a0287144032bca6973ac0eedb3e&amp;locationRegionStateProvince=f620a79f2dc44473828b42881312de2b&amp;locationRegionStateProvince=33e7c3874e0e4d28a8047926aa4a1d21&amp;locationRegionStateProvince=790e3c3ddfaa4123905237a05f1df9e9&amp;locationRegionStateProvince=02f3984b69ba450080e456fe733f6741&amp;locationRegionStateProvince=c66d738416b74fb180376cf59cc7ec8f&amp;locationRegionStateProvince=586509e6daa741808206b095fee97e8f&amp;locationRegionStateProvince=777facb47a8442bfba79628424812d64&amp;locationRegionStateProvince=d8bb292ed9fe44a2899a990ad569538c&amp;locationRegionStateProvince=dec8eabbb13d45bdb159b8e25d896110&amp;locationRegionStateProvince=9c1a239b35bd4598856e5393b249b8a1&amp;locationRegionStateProvince=0d2bcd0308f541938f3ae29e7cc69ae0&amp;locationRegionStateProvince=a83d6eabae3b49718c4ce09eeb66fd0b&amp;locationRegionStateProvince=ec3d210e4240442e99a28fa70419aec5&amp;locationRegionStateProvince=c7b20b0d4bc04711a00900569e9afabd&amp;timeType=767828f6b8084a3e8f215fff632efb26">company's official career page</a> in the US. Open roles include baristas, banquet chefs, and overnight bell and manager roles.</li><li>Hyatt Hotels has 1<a href="https://careers.hyatt.com/en-US/careers/search?searchable=%5B%7B%22filterId%22%3A%22KEYWORD%22%2C%22text%22%3A%22United%20States%22%2C%22id%22%3A%22United%20States%22%7D%5D">93 open roles on its jobs listing page</a>. These include housekeepers, front desk agents, and sales administrative assistants. </li><li>Paris-based Accor Hotels has more than <a href="https://careers.accor.com/global/en/search-results?keywords=&amp;s=1" target="_blank" rel="noopener">650 available jobs at its US properties</a>. Jobs available range from supervisor food and beverage to overnight cleaners and front desk roles. </li></ul>

Restaurants and hotels are hiring for thousands of open jobs in 2023. Here's a list.

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Zibo, an industrial city in east China, has become a top hotspot for domestic holidaymakers.</li><li>Zibo's popularity exploded after videos of its affordable local barbecue went viral on social media.</li></ul>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 <a href="https://weibo.com/ttarticle/p/show?id=2309404895064261263717" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Zibo city authorities are urging people</a> 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 <a href="https://www.chinadaily.com.cn/a/202303/17/WS6413c905a31057c47ebb5062.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">China Daily.</a> 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 <a href="https://www.thepaper.cn/newsDetail_forward_22816779" target="_blank" rel="noopener">4.8 million visitors</a> — 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 <a href="http://english.news.cn/20230429/18f6b6a456054b66ae9dce9036ed937c/c.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Xinhua</a> 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 <a href="http://english.news.cn/20230429/18f6b6a456054b66ae9dce9036ed937c/c.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">People's Daily</a> 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 href="https://weibo.com/7467277921/MEGl8kXw8" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A viral video on the Weibo microblog</a> 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 <a href="https://english.news.cn/20230502/c7c56d072cb2436f976fbf199563930d/c.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Xinhua.</a>

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

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