Entrance fee must be fully agreed

Charging an entry fee to the historic town of Fenghuang must be done in conjunction with local businesses and various parties, says an article in the Beijing Youth Daily (excerpts below).

Fenghuang, a famous a town in Hunan province, introduced a charge of 148 yuan ($24) for tourists this month.

The charge has upset many local residents and retailers who fear their businesses may suffer and claim that local government will be the real beneficiaries of the charge.

Indded, local government gets 60 yuan from the sale of each 148 yuan ticket.

It's possible that local government has some reason to introduce the charge, such as an urgent need to protect and develop some key areas.

But public opinion should not be ignored, and the interests of local residents and shopkeepers cannot be cast aside. This dilemma must be resolved by the local authorities.