22 Chinese tourist attractions to be added to 5A category

A total of 22 tourist attractions, including Beijing's Old Summer Palace, are expected to be added to the 5A category, the highest level in the rating system, according to the Ministry of Culture and Tourism (MCT) on Wednesday.

China has a tourism-rating classification system which rates a tourist attraction from one A to 5A for its overall tourism quality. The classification is based on several factors, including ease of transportation links, site safety, cleanliness, overall management and the protection of resources and environment. It also takes into account the uniqueness and recognition of the sightseeing offering.

Check out some of the tourist attractions that are to be added to the 5A category:

Zhangye Danxia Landform Geological Park, northwest China's Gansu Province. /VCG Photo

Populus Euphratica Forest in Alxa League, north China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region. /VCG Photo

Qing Xiling, also known as Western Qing Tombs, in Baoding, north China's Hebei Province. /VCG Photo

Wugong Mountain in Pingxiang, east China's Jiangxi Province. /VCG Photo

China currently has 258 tourist attractions listed as 5A and over 10,300 tourist attractions rated above A level, receiving more than 6 billion visitors a year.

(With input from Xinhua)

(Cover: Yuanmingyuan Ruins Park, also known as Old Summer Palace, in Beijing. /VCG Photo)