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Tourist attractions freeze prices, for now
By Fu Jing (China Daily)
Updated: 2005-04-13 05:44
There will be no price hike for people visiting major scenic spots during the
coming week-long May Day holiday, say park operators, but entrance fees will
likely cost more from the beginning of June.
Speaking to the China Daily, officials in charge of tourist attractions in
Sichuan, Hunan and Anhui provinces all claimed they have no plans to boost
ticket prices during the golden holiday week, May 1-7.
The Forbidden City
in the center of Beijing is a hot tourist attraction. This picture was
taken on December 16, 2004. [newsphoto] | "We have considered increasing entrance prices at some scenic spots but we
will not be announcing any changes in the near future," said an official
surnamed Wang with the Sichuan Provincial Bureau of Pricing.
He said a public hearing has been organized to discuss the increase of ticket
prices at Jiuzhaigou, a UNESCO world heritage site, and some other famous
attractions. In Jiuzhaigou, the entrance fee will be increased from 145 yuan
(US$17) to 200 yuan (US$24).
"We will choose a better time to announce it, but the May Day holiday is not
good timing," he said.
Sichuan Province has already organized a month-long promotion of its scenic
spots in Beijing to attract more visitors during the week-long holiday.
As part of the drive to attract people, the provincial tourism office has
said entrance prices at all scenic spots will remain as normal over the May Day
holiday.
Howver, an official from the Huangshan Mountain scenic zone, in Anhui
Province, said the zone will raise its entrance price to 200 yuan (US$24) from
the current 130 yuan (US$15.70) from the beginning of June.
"We will not charge more during the golden week holiday," said an official
surnamed Lin from the world heritage site.
He said 60 yuan (US$7.2) of the increased ticket price will go towards
protecting the world heritage site.
But some tourists have challenged the sincerity of the scheme.
"The zone just boosts its prices and says the extra money will be used for
protecting the zone, but who knows?" said Dai Xiaoling, 30, a Beijing-based
company employee. She suggested there should be a supervising organization to
ensure the extra charge is used as officials claim. She said a small-scale price
rise is understandable but the entrance fees at many tourist attractions are too
ambitious. "Some of the prices have nearly doubled and it has happened too
quickly."
Dai's comments were echoed by those of Internet users. After major news
portals such as sina.com and xinhuanet.com posted price hike news, many Netizens
went online to complain in chatrooms.
The pricing watchdog has said the market will show whether prices are too
high. "We are not authorized to decide prices for scenic spots and local
governments will have the final say after they hold public hearings" said an
unnamed official from the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC).
However, the commission recently issued a circular to provincial and local
governments, requiring them to be cautious when supervising the prices of goods
and services.
"One of the government's priorities this year is to keep prices stable as
China has already been pressured by price hikes," said the official.
(China Daily 04/13/2005 page2)
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