Ticket prices will be raised at Wulingyuan Scenic Area, a UNESCO world heritage site in central China's Hunan Province, after the peak tourist season begins next month.

According to a media report, the municipal government of Zhangjiajie said the provincial government had approved the increase from 160 yuan (US$19) to 250 yuan (US$30) starting from April 16.

The move was announced at the weekend in what may be a burgeoning trend. After five Beijing UNESCO heritage sites expressed their intention to double their prices, more tourist attractions in China are following suit.

The famous Mount Huangshan, also as a listed UNESCO culture and natural world heritage site and as a world geopark, declared its desire to raise the cost of admission to 200 yuan (US$24) in peak season from the current 130 yuan.

Jiuzhaigou and Huanglong Scenic Areas in Sichuan Province also revealed plans to raise ticket prices.

Booming tourism has brought great pressure on scenic spots, with a sharp increase in hotels, restaurants and shops in their area. Overdevelopment can be seen in and around many sites in China, and during public holidays they become crowded with visitors.

"If a customer asks me to recommend a quiet traditional water town, I never recommend Zhouzhuang any longer, for it's too crowded and noisy," said Liu Rongqiang, the manager of a travel agency at the Tourism Cooperation Forum in Zhouzhuang in March.

Zhouzhuang, situated southeast of Suzhou, Jiangsu Province and one of the most famous water towns in the country, is facing complaints from both tourist and travel agencies.

Too many booths and stalls line its streets, according to Liu, and there are over a thousand tricycle drivers who pester visitors for trade, ignoring polite refusals.

In peak season, tourists are everywhere and a commercially driven atmosphere permeates everything. This defeats the point of why people come in the first place: to experience nature, history and escape their busy lives, said Liu.

Increased ticket prices could counter demand and fund preservation work.

(China.org.cn by Wang Zhiyong March 16, 2005)