Beijing tourism 'bullish' during Spring Festival

(Xinhua)
Updated: 2009-02-01 17:47

Tourism in Beijing appeared "bullish" during the Spring Festival, which marks the beginning of the Chinese ox year, according to figures released by the city's tourism bureau Saturday, the last day of the weeklong holiday.

Tourists visit the Qianmen business street in Beijing, January 30, 2009. [Xinhua]

During the Spring Festival holiday, from January 25 to 31, the city received about 3.24 million domestic tourists, a record high and up 20 percent from last year, the bureau said in a press release.

The bureau said Beijing reported 2.1 billion yuan (US$300 million) in tourism revenue the past week, up 32.6 percent.

The bureau reported that the average tourist spent 2,065 yuan (about US$304), 90 yuan more than last year.

Tourists line up to visit the White Cloud Temple in Beijing, January 30, 2009. [Xinhua]

Beijing Olympic venues were popular among tourists. The Olympic park was visited by more than 1 million people, while the National Stadium and the National Aquatics Center, dubbed Bird's Nest and Water Cube, saw a combined 220,000 sightseers.

Gu Xiaoyuan, spokeswoman for the Beijing Tourism Bureau, attributed the increase to publicity, discounts and improved management.

According to Gu, her bureau received fewer complaints from tourists during the holiday. "The number of complaints was down by 28 percent compared with the same period of last year."

She didn't specify how many complaints were received or what they were about.

An online complaint service on the bureau's website indicates that the most frequently received complaints regarded overcharging by unlicensed taxi drivers and tour guides, poor food and accommodations and excessive shopping instead of sightseeing.