Higher entrance fees for over 20 tourist attractions

Report said that the lack of transparency and oversight is the major reason for ticket price rises at the tourist attractions.

Song Rui, director of Tourism Research Center of Chinese Academy of Social Science, said that the basis for price rises at tourist attractions is not transparent.

Prof. Dou Qun from Beijing Union University said that an important reason for the frequent illegal mark-ups at tourist attractions is that price rights remain in the hands of local governments, and raising the entrance price can help increase local financial revenue.

Despite higher entrance fees, tourists are complaining that service facilities such as seats and toilets at tourist attractions are inadequate.

In addition, dining and accommodations are unsatisfactory, leading to more discontent among tourists.

The report disclosed that the usages of the revenue from the entrance fees are not transparent in some places. Often, fees collected are not put towards maintenance or improvement of facilities but to pay for publicity.

Experts suggest that regulations be formulated on the usage of revenue from entrance fees to tourist attractions.