OPINION> EDITORIALS
Scene stealers
(China Daily)
Updated: 2009-10-02 07:46

Some scenic spots nationwide have raised the prices of entry tickets just before the golden week of National Day holiday. Some have been increased by 70 percent. This is not just bad news for millions of residents readying for a trip during the holidays, but reveals some foundational problems that need to be fixed with the administration of scenic spots.

Who has the say or who should have the say over the administration of scenic spots? This is a question that needs to be clarified first.

The National Development and Reform Commission released a document this week, prohibiting scenic spots from increasing entrance ticket prices. Ten scenic spots in South China's Guangdong province have assured that their entry ticket prices will remain unchanged.

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heoretically, all scenic spots are owned by the State and therefore belong to the people. Local governments manage the parks or places of natural beauty on behalf of the people. Some companies may be entrusted to take care of these spots. It is natural for these places to charge visitors by selling tickets for their entrance since funds are needed for their operation and maintenance.

Yet, the basic fact that they are public property makes it imperative that the charge for entry should never be too high, and entry charges should never become a source for the unit in charge of the management or a local government to make hefty profits.

Here comes the issue of transparency. If lack of funds really affects the operation and maintenance of a scenic spot, visitors have the obligation to make up for the deficiency by paying more for entry. Yet, visitors have the right to know the truth on their income and expenditures. All these should be published.

If the management of some scenic spots has been contracted to private firms, there should be a stipulation in contracts to limit the profits permissible from ticket sales.

It is intolerable for some to rip off tourists by constantly raising ticket prices without giving convincing reasons. Neither is it sustainable for the long-term running of these scenic spots if the income from tickets sales is not for better maintaining the scenic spots but for the welfare of staff workers or for other purposes.

(China Daily 10/02/2009 page5)