A warning to scenic spots
The cancellation of the 5A-rated accreditation for Shanhaiguan Pass, a scenic spot in Qinhuangdao, Hebei province, while indicating the authorities' resolve to promote standardized management of tourist attractions, also serves as an explicit warning that such a qualification is not a once-and-for-all honor.
The National Tourism Administration made such a decision after an inspection team found that the Shanhaiguan Pass scenic spot has a series of problems including price frauds, bad sanitation, poor facility maintenance and degraded services as a result of understaffing.
This is the first time that a 5A-rating scenic spot has been deprived of such a title since the appraisal standards were adopted for the grading of tourist attractions nationwide in 1999.
