China saw nearly 85 million domestic tourist trips in the first three days of its five-day May Day holiday which started May 1, generating a total of 35.06 billion yuan (4.97 billion U.S. dollars) in tourism revenue, the Ministry of Culture and Tourism said Sunday.

On Sunday alone, domestic tourists made 30.94 million trips nationwide, roughly at the same level with the second day.

Earlier, the Ministry of Transport estimated an average of 23.36 million passenger trips to be made per day during the period, up from 19.9 million a day during the Tomb-Sweeping Day holiday in April. Yet, that estimation is approximately 34.8 percent of the number during 2019 May Day holiday.

In Beijing, 1,030 parks welcomed 1.67 million visitors in the first two days of the holiday, according to Beijing Gardening and Greening Bureau. The 35 expected to see big tourist flows, including Jingshan Park and the Summer Palace, require all tourists to book online before their visits as a precautionary measure.

Tickets to Jingshan Park, a beautiful royal landscape garden facing the north gate of the Forbidden City, was already sold out for the whole holiday week by 1 p.m. on May 2.

Read more: China's travel industry reopens in time for May Day holiday

(With input from agencies)

(Infographic designed by Jia Jieqiong)

(Cover: Tourists at the Ming Tomb scenic area of Nanjing, capital of east China's Jiangsu Province, May 3, 2020. /VCG)