Ancient town vendors say visitors fleeing admission fees

Local enterprises in the ancient town Fenghuang, Hunan Province, which welcomed almost 7 million tourists last year, say they have seen a drastic drop in business since the county imposed an admission charge to enter the town that is famous for its well-preserved 300-year-old buildings.

Since last Wednesday visitors have been required to purchase a 148-yuan ($23.9) admission ticket and the county government said it had sold more than 17,000 tickets as of late Saturday.

Business owners however say they have experienced a sharp drop in the number of visitors and those who have come are spending less.

The Xinhua News Agency reported Sunday that one vendor had sold only 18-yuan ($2.90) worth of goods that day and some local hotels had far fewer guests.

The owner of the Woxingwosu Hotel, surnamed Jia, said his business has shrunk sharply due to a drop in the number of visitors. "My hotel has seven rooms, which were never empty. During the past weekend three were vacant and many customers have canceled their bookings."

Jia told the Global Times that most visitors are students on a tight budget and the admission charge is forcing them to choose other destinations.

"The policy was implemented abruptly. The officials should have solicited public opinion. I hope that they lower the price and more practical services are provided. The town doesn't even have a public toilet," he said.

The county government said Sunday that the entrance fee will allow it to better protect the town and pursue its sustainable development. Part of the ticket fee collected will be used for maintenance, renovation of the town's relics, the improvement of water quality in the river and improve landscaping along the river banks, said the statement.

In 2012, the county received 6.9 million visitors with tourism revenue topping 5.3 billion yuan.

Chen Shaofeng, deputy dean of the Institute for Cultural Industries at Peking University, told the Global Times that local officials should not attempt to make a fortune from the visitors.

"Unlike a theme park, the town is a cultural relic left by our ancestors that just happens to be in the county and doesn't belong to any particular entity," he said.

Gao Xiangwen, the county's deputy head, said Saturday that the admission fee won't be canceled immediately. "It takes time," he said.

Hundreds of locals and private business owners protested Thursday morning over the implementation of the new admission fee, reported the Global Times on Friday.