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Fenghuang ancient town, also called Phoenix city, is in Central China's Hunan province.
The town began charging for visits on Wednesday. It now costs 148 yuan ($24) to enter the village and visit anywhere in the town as well as the neighboring Nanhua Mountain.
The move was made to better integrate local tourism resources and improve the quality of management and services, according to local government. Some visitors complained about the extra charge, as the old town used to be free for tours. The scenic area drew 6.9 million tourists last year, 12 times the number in 2001.