CHINA: Visa restrictions and security worries limit number of overseas tourists at Beijing Olympics
Record ID:
329792
CHINA: Visa restrictions and security worries limit number of overseas tourists at Beijing Olympics
- Title: CHINA: Visa restrictions and security worries limit number of overseas tourists at Beijing Olympics
- Date: 17th August 2008
- Summary: (ASIA) BEIJING, CHINA (AUGUST 11, 2008) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF TOURISTS SITTING AND WALKING NEAR SHICHAHAI LAKE MAN FLYING KITE KITE FLYING IN SKY MAN FLYING KITE A SIGN OF A CHINESE MAN DOING TRADITIONAL SPORT NEAR BEIJING'S SHICHAHAI LAKE FOREIGN TOURISTS SITTING ON TRISHAW TOURISTS WALKING IN OLD CITY NEIGHBOURHOODS, COMMONLY CALLED "HUTONGS" A SIGN AT A CAFE READING "YES, WE SPEAK ENGLISH" MAN WORKING AT CAFE VARIOUS OF AMERICAN TOURIST MARNIX HEERSINK AND HIS FRIEND LOOKING AT CHINESE TEAPOT. (SOUNDBITE) (English) AMERICAN TOURIST MARNIX HEERSINK SAYING: "They are doing more than a good job. They have put out every stop you can imagine to make us feel comfortable, to make us feel at home. Everything has been so easily arranged. It's been a fabulous opportunity to be in the great place." TOURISTS TOURING HUTONG CHINESE OLD MAN SITTING IN FRONT OF HIS COURTYARD VARIOUS OF A FOREIGN MAN AND HIS FRIEND SITTING AT TEA HOUSE CHATTING SIGN READING "XIAOJINSI HUTONG" PEOPLE RIDING BICYCLES AND WALKING IN HUTONG POLICE SERVICE NOTICE IN ENGLISH TOURISTS WALKING INSIDE COURTYARD COURTYARD OWNER GREETING VISITORS CHINESE LANTERN AND BIRDS BEING HUNG NEAR ROOF OF COURTYARD
- Embargoed: 1st September 2008 13:00
- Keywords:
- Location: China
- Country: China
- Topics: Light / Amusing / Unusual / Quirky,Travel / Tourism
- Reuters ID: LVAAJZCL0HBIQNDFTNIX8VOKUQQM
- Story Text: New hotels have opened and residents happily greet visitors, but fewer overseas tourists than expected have made the trip.
Touring Beijing may be a thrilling experience for many overseas tourists, but tight China restrictions and security worries has limited the number of visitors over the Olympics period.
Beijing is decorated with banners, new hotels have opened, and residents have opened up their homes to foreigners for the Games. But overall Beijing only expects to play host to between 400,000 and 500,000 overseas visitors during the Games, the same amount as least year.
The number of tourist arrivals also fell nearly 20 percent in June from a year earlier, suggesting that Olympics-related visa restrictions, security concerns and perhaps a weak global economy were keeping a significant number of people away.
"Tightening visas is mainly to ensure that referees, athletes and sport fans who want to come and watch the Games can come as planned. Some visitors may think it's more complex to get a visa, but there are no special restrictions in place," said Wang Zhifa, deputy head of China's National Administration.
Wang says average hotel occupancy rates in Beijing hotels have reached
2 percent since the games started.
But one-fifth of the city's hotel rooms remain empty and some hotels reported that reservation rates during the Olympics were as low as 10 percent.
Despite the tepid turnout, those foreigners who have made it to Beijing for the games say they are enjoying the trip.
Touring one of Beijing's the ancient lanes of the Nanluoguxiang Hutong, U.S. tourist Marnix Heersink was amazed by the tourist site consisting of boutiques, cafes and bars.
"They are doing more than a good job. They have put out every stop you can imagine to make us feel comfortable, to make us feel at home.
Everything has been so easily arranged. It's been a fabulous opportunity to be in the great place," he said.
Business is also good for hundreds of households who are renting out rooms in their homes during the Olympic period. Rooms, which cost between $50 to $80 U.S. dollar per night, are popular among tourists who have to book days ahead for vacancies.
U.S. tourist Nick Driver was having tea with his family at the little garden in front of a courtyard. He said he had few problems getting a visa for this trip.
"For us, it is quite easy, only took us two days. We heard rumours or semi-horror stories about people not getting visas or taking six weeks to get visas, but for us it is easy. There are a lot of people that we knew were going to come but sort of scared off by the rumours, whether or not it is true, they ended up not coming," said Driver, a manager from San Francisco.
The Beijing Olympic Games began on August 8 will continue till August - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
- Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2011. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
- Usage Terms/Restrictions: None