Beijing scenic areas record over 4.8 mln visits during New Year holiday

People take part in a New Year countdown at the Shougang Park in Beijing, capital of China, Jan. 1, 2024. (Xinhua/Zhang Chenlin)

BEIJING, Jan. 2 (Xinhua) -- Beijing's 170 main scenic areas recorded a total of about 4.83 million visits during the New Year holiday, marking a year-on-year increase of 80.5 percent, according to the municipal bureau of culture and tourism.

The revenue of these scenic areas totaled 324.71 million yuan (about 45.88 million U.S. dollars) during the three-day holiday from Dec. 30, 2023 to Jan 1, 2024, up 30.8 percent year on year.

Parks in Beijing saw 2.54 million visits, an increase of 69 percent over the same period last year. The Summer Palace, Temple of Heaven and Beijing Zoo were among the most popular tourist destinations during the holiday, according to Beijing Municipal Forestry and Parks Bureau.

During the holiday, parks in Beijing launched 35 cultural activities such as flower exhibitions, folk custom experiences and science education, as well as 41 winter sports activities.

During this period, rural tourism in the city experienced a significant surge, with a total of 436,000 trips, up 41.2 percent year on year, and its operating income reached nearly 49.94 million yuan, marking a year-on-year increase of 37.4 percent. ■