Lijiang holds maintenance toll receipt lottery

The third lottery draw for maintenance toll receipts in the Old Town of Lijiang occurred in the city's conference center on Jan 6, 2013.

The Old Town of Lijiang collects maintenance tolls because the old town does not normally charge city maintenance fees. According to the Yunnan Conservation Regulation of the Old Town of Lijiang, the maintenance toll was approved by the provincial government and has been collected since 2001. People who travel or are engaged in other businesses in the old town and Yulong county in Lijiang must pay the maintenance toll. In 2011, Lijiang decided that a lucky lottery drawing should be held on Jan 6 and July 6 every year. In the most recent lottery, 10 winners were drawn from a computer program among 2,047,198 receipts dated from July1, 2012, to Dec 31, 2012. Every winner will receive a prize of 200,000 yuan ($32,100). All results are announced on the Old Town of Lijiang Protection Authority website (http://www.ljgc.gov.cn) and by Yunnan Information Daily.

The lucky draw hopes to find a new way to motivate tourists to pay the maintenance toll. It is an encouragement as some tourists may be rewarded by the lucky draw.

The Old Town of Lijiang Protection Authority Director He Shiyong makes a speech at the lottery draw ceremony.

Lottery draw guest at the ceremony.