China Tourism Day sees nationwide visitor boom
The 9th China Tourism Day was marked on Sunday with discounted admission to many tourist attractions and large numbers of themed events.
Shanghai, for instance, offered half-price admission to 70 tourist sites, drawing large crowds and leading to long queues.
At the Shanghai Oriental Pearl TV Tower in the Pudong New Area, visitors were told at 10 a.m. that they would have to wait for two hours. The wait time extended to three and a half hours by 11 a.m.
People line up outside the Shanghai Oriental Pearl TV Tower in the Pudong New Area. /Shanghai Daily Photo
"The queuing time for a normal Sunday is about one to two hours throughout the day. The number of visitors this Sunday was equal to the May Day or National Day holiday," said Zhao Qianqian, an employee of the tower.
“I came here today because of the cheaper ticket," said Wu Lanying, a local retiree, who traveled all the way from Yangpu District with her husband.
Other parts of China also saw a tourism boom. Here we have gathered some pictures to offer a glimpse.
China Tourism Day is an annual festival to promote the role of tourism and encourage people to go out and enjoy the joy that travel brings.
Read more: China Tourism Day: A festival you may not know
(With input from Shanghai Daily)
(Cover: Tourists visit Fuzimiao, also known as the Confucius Temple, in Nanjing, east China's Jiangsu Province, May 19, 2019. /VCG Photo)