High-speed rail feels chill down south   

广州旅行社推京广高铁游“遇冷”

京广高铁26日正式开通。由于遭遇旅游淡季，加之受机票价格低折扣的影响，广州各大旅行社推出的“京广高铁游”并未受到市民们的“追捧”，报名出游情况并不理想。

Guangzhou (CNS) -- The high-speed rail line linking Beijing to the southern metropolis of Guangzhou went into operation Wednesday, but the Cantonese have been in no rush to start using it, according to major travel agencies in Guangzhou.

The new line shortens a 22-hour train journey to eight hours, and many Guangzhou travel agencies had begun promoting special high-speed trips to Beijing in advance.

We planned a trip for the first train on Wednesday, but it failed due to a cold response, said Guangzhilv, the largest local travel agency.

CITS Guangdong Co., another travel agency, said they wouldn't arrange such trips until January. It's a slack season for tourism and discount flight tickets are available, so trips by rail are not advantageous to us now, the agency said.

Such trips may attract more tourists during the Spring Festival, said insiders.

Wen Shuang, manager of Guangzhilv, said the high-speed rail will ease travel tension during the Spring Festival rush and boost local tourism by 20 to 30 percent next year.