Advance reservation becomes hot trend in China's scenic spots

During the just concluded Dragon Boat Festival, travelers making reservations and visiting scenic spots at staggered times has gradually become a hot new trend in China, as tourist attractions strive to strengthen management of population flows in order to prevent mass gatherings.

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A tourist takes photos of an ice cream in the shape of the Hall of Prayer for Good Harvest at the Temple of Heaven in Beijing, capital of China, May 4, 2021. Official data showed 230 million domestic tourist trips were made during the five-day Labor Day holiday, up 119.7 percent from last year. (Xinhua/Ju Huanzong)

According to a 2021 special research report recently released by consulting agency iiMedia Research, the proportion of tickets booked via online platforms has gone up to 22.4 percent, thanks to the introduction of ticket reservations and other measures allowing visitors to avoid peak times.

More than 80 percent of the respondents said they were aware of the concept of "scenic spot ticket reservations", while more than 70 percent held an optimistic attitude towards the implementation of the scenic spot ticket reservation system.

Furthermore, 45.2 percent of respondents said that they found out about flow restrictions of tourist destinations in advance and did not line up and wait during the process. Meanwhile, 42.1 percent revealed that they drew up their itineraries in advance, while 41.9 percent believed that they could learn about the scenic spot information in advance.

It is interesting to note that the ticket reservation system serves not only as an effective means of epidemic prevention, but also as a convenient way for tourists to plan their itinerary more reasonably.

Staggered reservations have emerged as an effective means of avoiding overcrowding in scenic spots and implementing accurate management, said Xin Hongye, deputy director of the Information Center of the Ministry of Culture and Tourism.