Scenic Spot Ticket Price Survey: A Family of Three Spends 2,500 Yuan on Entrance Fees

 

Originally free, the ancient city of Fenghuang began charging an entrance fee of 148 yuan starting April 10th this year, sparking considerable controversy and drawing public attention to domestic scenic spot ticket prices. During the recent "May Day" holiday, although the National Development and Reform Commission announced that over 1,200 domestic scenic spots were offering discounts, reporters found that some reduced-price spots had previously raised their prices and then lowered them again, resulting in little to no actual change—or even higher prices. Additionally, the comparison revealed an unusual trend where ticket prices in other provinces and cities are generally higher than in Beijing, and domestic prices are higher than international ones. Industry experts say the main reason for this is differing management approaches—some local governments treat scenic spots as sources of tax revenue, which is the opposite of how Beijing and other international regions use tax revenues to support scenic areas.

Since the beginning of this year, ticket prices at some domestic tourist attractions have been raised. For example, the peak-season ticket price for Slender West Lake in Yangzhou increased from 120 yuan to 150 yuan; the all-inclusive ticket price for Wuyuan Scenic Area in Jiangxi rose from 180 yuan to 210 yuan; and the ticket price for Mount Emei in Sichuan went up from 150 yuan to 185 yuan.

The NDRC’s “May Day Discount Order” came after some scenic spots had already raised their prices. Following the announcement, the ticket price for Slender West Lake during the “May Day” period was reduced from 150 yuan to 120 yuan, effectively returning to the original price. The all-inclusive ticket for Wuyuan Scenic Area dropped from 210 yuan to 165 yuan, which is 15 yuan cheaper than the original price. Meanwhile, the ticket price for Mount Emei rose from 150 yuan to 185 yuan before being reduced to 165 yuan—but the discounted price is still 15 yuan higher than before the hike. Faced with such “hike-then-discount” tactics, many tourists said, “The discount is suspicious—it’s practically the same as no discount at all.”

Reporters found that among the more than 1,200 discounted scenic spots, some avoided offering discounts during the “May Day” period.

The discount periods for Zhangjiajie Wulingyuan, Jiuzhaigou Valley in Sichuan, and Mount Emei in Sichuan were all from May 2nd to May 7th. Meanwhile, the discounted periods for Huangshan Mountain, Jiuhua Mountain, and Tianzhu Mountain in Anhui were only from May 2nd to May 4th—a mere three days.

Although the authorities in charge of these scenic areas claimed the timing was meant to stagger tourist flows and make travel more convenient, the “discounts” did not satisfy visitors. “The May Day holiday is from April 29th to May 1st. Missing that window means most people are back at work—what’s the point?” some netizens questioned. “These discounts seem more like a formality, just playing with numbers without any real benefits. It feels more like being tricked.”

Observant netizens also noticed that most of the discounted scenic spots during “May Day” were not well-known attractions and held little appeal for travelers. Among the 1,200 discounted spots, only 60 were 5A-level scenic areas—just 5%—while there were about 350 4A-level spots and around 800 3A-level or lower spots, making up the majority.

Moreover, even after the discounts, these spots are still not cheap. For instance, the ticket price for Jiuzhaigou Valley in Sichuan dropped from 220 yuan to 200 yuan, and the price for Liaoning Laohutan Ocean Park decreased from 210 yuan to 165 yuan. Almost all well-known scenic spots have entered the “100-yuan era”—even with a 20% discount, few are below 100 yuan, and some famous spots exceed 200 yuan.

The Zhangjiajie-Jiuzhaigou-Huanglong route is one of the most popular among tourists from Beijing, but it’s also the most expensive. Yang Yang, general manager of Beijing Spring and Autumn International Travel Agency, said that years ago, the ticket price for a single attraction on these routes was about 60–80 yuan, with total ticket costs not exceeding 200 yuan. But those days of affordability are long gone.

For example, the combined cost of tickets and cable cars for the Zhangjiajie-Tianzi Mountain-Tianmen Cave route is nearly 800 yuan, while the total ticket price for Jiuzhaigou, Huanglong, Leshan, and Mount Emei is close to 900 yuan—accounting for over 50% of the cost of a train-based group tour and a quarter of an air-based group tour. This means that for a family of three, just the ticket expenses can add up to around 2,500 yuan.

The surge in ticket prices has also driven up the cost of group tours. To encourage participation, many travel agencies have shifted costs like cable car fees into optional, self-paid items.

In response to the shocking ticket prices, Bu Yuehui, deputy director of the Hunan Provincial Tourism Bureau, explained that Zhangjiajie’s scenic spot prices have been in place for many years and have all been approved by the pricing bureau. Facilities within the scenic areas, such as cable cars, gondolas, and escalators, are operated by different investment companies—not as government-collected ticket fees. Bu noted that policies like those for Fenghuang Ancient City currently offer discounted tickets for students, and in the future, they plan to gradually extend free entry to both students and seniors.

Since April this year, the ticket price for Wuyuan Scenic Area in Jiangxi has risen from 180 yuan to 210 yuan. Huang, head of the Wuyuan Scenic Area Marketing Center, told reporters that before 2007, the area charged separate entrance fees for individual sites, leading to chaotic pricing. After 2007, a unified price of 180 yuan was set and has remained for six years. He stated that due to rising operational and labor costs, the scenic area had to slightly increase its prices.

Huang explained that although the NDRC-approved ticket price was 260 yuan, considering visitor sentiment, the scenic area decided not to raise prices too high. As a result, they set the price at 50 yuan below the approved rate and also offered discounts for seniors and students. He believes the long-term goal is to gradually eliminate ticket fees, and the current focus is transitioning from sightseeing tourism to leisure tourism. “Ticket revenue is just one aspect,” he said. “We’re also developing auxiliary facilities, such as hotels. Even if tickets pose some financial burden, we’ll address it through other means.”

With so many scenic spots maintaining or continuously raising high ticket prices, Hangzhou’s policy of free entry to the Greater West Lake has once again become a hot topic. A decade ago, West Lake in Hangzhou became the first in China to try free admission. Now, ten years later, as a national 5A-level tourist attraction, West Lake still maintains this free entry policy—an uncommon practice in China. Public data released by the Hangzhou Municipal Tourism Commission shows that in 2002, the city received 27.5798 million tourists with total tourism revenue of 29.4 billion yuan. By 2011, the number of tourists reached 74.8727 million, and total tourism revenue hit 119.1 billion yuan—four times that of 2002.

“After opening the Greater West Lake for free, we gave the lake back to the people and to visitors. This not only makes it easier for tourists to enjoy West Lake but also serves as a welcoming ‘living room’ that attracts global visitors to admire its beauty and boosts the tourism industry,” said Li Xiubao, deputy director of the Market Development Division of the Hangzhou Tourism Commission. He added that by keeping entry free and ensuring accessibility, connectivity, and visitability, the integration of over ten scenic areas has created significant business opportunities for tourism-related enterprises. The surrounding Hubin and Beishan districts have flourished, generating substantial economic benefits.

Previously, parks around West Lake such as Children's Park, Elderly Park, and Prince Bay were all paid parks. Since becoming free, they have greatly benefited tourists. "We've done statistics—for example, Prince Bay Park is currently in the tulip blooming season, attracting 100,000 visitors a day. Even though there’s no ticket revenue, it has created huge business opportunities for nearby dining, shopping, and other consumption. The surrounding areas, including Hubin Commercial Street, Beishan Street, and Jing'an Historical Block, have all generated excellent economic benefits."

Li Xiubao stated that the ticket revenue from several scenic spots in the past was about 20 million yuan. Although it seemed like a loss after making them free, through the concept of Greater Hangzhou tourism, more visitors are attracted to sightsee, thereby boosting transportation, accommodation, dining, and shopping. In reality, the overall tourism income far exceeds the benefits brought by ticket fees.

Wei Xiang, Director of the Leisure Economy Research Center at Beijing International Studies University, believes that the reason domestic scenic spot tickets are more expensive than those abroad, and tickets in other provinces and cities are higher than in Beijing, is mainly due to different management approaches. The management model for Beijing’s scenic spots is similar to that of European and American countries—managing them as public goods, i.e., using tax revenues to support the parks, viewing them as state-owned assets open to all citizens.

The increase in ticket prices at out-of-town scenic spots is mainly because the government treats these sites as land resources. Rather than spending on the scenic areas, the government uses them as a source of tax revenue. This approach is the opposite of how scenic areas are managed in Beijing and other international regions. Wei Xiang said: "Due to weaker regulatory systems in other regions, often involving multi-agency management, some localities transfer the operating rights of scenic spots, effectively turning public land into profit-driven ventures. Therefore, if scenic spots pursue short-term ticket revenue, this leads to increased ticket prices."

Wei Xiang explained that for the use of land resources, both the Ministry of Land and Resources and garden management departments have very strict regulations. Currently, the biggest issue is that although national policies are comprehensive, they are not properly implemented at the local level. "If tourism and garden departments face financial difficulties, they may covertly develop the land, engaging in contracted or transferred operations to make up for tax shortfalls." In addition, while some famous natural scenic spots do not have issues with covert land development, the annual maintenance costs—such as protecting rare tree species—are substantial. When such funding is insufficient, governments or park management authorities might raise ticket prices to cover maintenance expenses.

Wei Xiang suggested that to prevent continuous surges in ticket prices, improvements can be made in the following two areas: First, the state allocates maintenance funds or special grants to cultural heritage and garden departments every year, but whether these funds are sufficient and how to apply for them may still be problematic. Second, it is necessary to prevent covert contracted operations due to lax supervision—essentially altering land use rights.

Yellowstone National Park vs Jiuzhaigou

At the U.S. Yellowstone National Park, the driving entry fee is $25 per vehicle, and an annual pass is $25 with unlimited entries.

Jiuzhaigou tickets cost 220 yuan per person.

Grand Canyon vs Zhangjiajie

The Grand Canyon in the United States is a World Natural Heritage site. Its ticket price is $25 per vehicle (including all passengers), and one ticket allows free access to the park for seven days.

Zhangjiajie scenic area tickets are 248 yuan per person.

Taj Mahal vs Potala Palace

The Taj Mahal in India charges foreigners high ticket fees but only a symbolic 20 rupees (2.5 yuan) for Indian citizens.

Potala Palace tickets are 200 yuan per person.

Native American Sites vs Mogao Caves

The Mesa Verde Native American Site in the U.S. charges $15 in peak season and $10 in off-peak season, approximately 94.5 yuan and 63 yuan respectively.

Mogao Caves tickets are 160 yuan per person.

Mount Fuji vs Mount Tai

Visiting and climbing Mount Fuji is free of charge.

Mount Tai tickets are 127 yuan per person (peak season).

Great Smoky Mountains vs Huangshan

The U.S. Great Smoky Mountains National Park is free to visitors.

Huangshan tickets are 230 yuan per person.

Himeji Castle vs Wuyuan

Japan’s Himeji Castle scenic area tickets are equivalent to 46 yuan per person.

Wuyuan in Jiangxi, also an ancient town, charges up to 180 yuan per person for admission.

Statue of Liberty VS Oriental Pearl Tower

The ticket price for the Statue of Liberty in New York, USA, is about 63 yuan.

Shanghai's Oriental Pearl Tower, another iconic city landmark, has a highest-tier ticket price of 150 yuan.

Zhangjiajie Wulingyuan VS The Palace Museum

Zhangjiajie Wulingyuan in Hunan: prices dropped by 20% during the May Day holiday, but still exceed 200 yuan.

The Palace Museum in Beijing: prices have remained unchanged for 10 years, with off-season tickets at 40 yuan and peak-season tickets at 60 yuan.

Fenghuang Ancient Town VS Famous Scenic Spots in Beijing

Fenghuang Ancient Town: tickets cost 148 yuan, and merchants are dissatisfied — the “entry fee” has led to a decline in tourist numbers.

Beijing’s 4A-level scenic spots: Zhongshan Park, Beihai Park, Jingshan Park, and Shichahai Scenic Area mostly have single-digit prices, and even the Ruins of the Old Summer Palace Park ticket is only 10 yuan.