CHINA: OLYMPICS - Beijing plays down worries of low hotel bookings ahead of the Olympics

Record ID: 1532180

  • Title: CHINA: OLYMPICS - Beijing plays down worries of low hotel bookings ahead of the Olympics
  • Date: 16th July 2008
  • Summary: TOURISTS STANDING TOGETHER
  • Embargoed: 31st July 2008 04:10
  • Keywords:
  • Location: China
  • Country: China
  • Topics: Sport,Travel / Tourism
  • Reuters ID: LVA1SFBCHOJTXTE25YP3ELNC1P8N
  • Aspect Ratio: 4:3
  • Story Text: Beijing plays down the link between low hotel bookings and their new visa policy ahead of the Olympics.
    Beijing officials on Tuesday (July 15) sought to downplay worries about low hotel reservations during next month's Olympics, refusing to draw a link with new visa controls.
    Beijing expects to play host to between 450,000 and 500,000 overseas visitors during the August Olympics, only marginally up from the 420,000 who came in the same period last year.
    Despite China's public message that it welcomes the whole world to the Olympics, the government has significantly tightened controls on visas in the run-up to the event, procedures it says are normal for an Olympic host city and needed for security.
    Travel agencies say tourist visas are now subject to extra red tape, with travellers required to show proof of a hotel voucher and a return air ticket.
    Also, citizens of 33 countries, including India, Pakistan, Iraq and Nepal, have been banned from applying for Chinese visas in Hong Kong and now have to apply in their home countries.
    Sun Weide, a spokesman for the Beijing Olympic organisers, denied that the recently introduced new visa regime was responsible for low hotel bookings.
    "The purpose is to ensure the safety of the athletes participating in the games. And as you mentioned, security is a major issue of the Olympic Games. It is commonly understood that security is of top importance for every Olympic Games. We will take all measures possible to ensure a safe Olympics," Sun said.
    According to the Beijing Tourism Administration, four-star, three-star and two-star hotel booking rates in the capital were all under 50 percent by the end of June.
    Over the same period last year, four-star hotels had booking rates of close to 70 percent.
    But now, there are 20 more hotels competing for business than last year in Beijing, according to Beijing's Tourism Administration.
    Xiong Yumei, deputy director of Beijing Tourism Administration, remained optimistic there will be an increase in bookings within the next 24 days before the games kick off.
    "What I am talking about here is the rate of the hotel bookings.
    It's not the actual occupancy rate of August. According to our survey, the proportion of tourists from other provinces in China who have Olympic tickets but haven't booked many hotels is relatively high," Xiong said.
    There have been warnings from Interpol that terrorists may target the Games and so the government is saying tighter security and visa controls are necessary.
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
  • Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2020. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
  • Usage Terms/Restrictions: Footage contains identifiable children: users must ensure that they comply with local laws and regulations governing the publishing of this material.
Register