Face-to-face: Tourists gather near the bust of a young Mao Zedong and his wind-blown hair in Orange Isle in Changsha, Hunan Province. The isle loses its 5A tourist attraction rating this month. (Photo : YouTube)
Those panoramic postcard perfect sites may continue to serve as a visual treat, delighting the senses and injecting thrill to what could be a monotonous life but something is amiss.
The China National Tourism Administration sent some of its people on a covert mission: to monitor the operations of tourist destinations and attractions and conduct ocular inspections discreetly, reported China Daily.
Two famous tourist attractions received dismal assessments, consequentially losing their hard-earned rating this month.
CNTA, responsible for the country’s tourism development, revoked the 5A rating of Chongqing’s Shenlong Gorge and Hunan Province’s Orange Isle.
Understaffed, both sites suffer from poor services and were found guilty of overpricing, according to the report. Issues concerning facility maintenance, safety and security and environmental management also hound Shenlong Gorge and Orange Isle.
For one, staff members at Shenlong Gorge fail to inform tourists about the necessary safety reminders when these visitors board drifting boats, according to Peng Decheng, CNTA’s planning and finance department director.
At Orange Isle, Peng said that booking a tour guide takes more the week.
Three more attractions in Anhui Province--home to Mount Huangshan, Mount Jiuhua, Mount Tianzhu--and Fujian Province--popular for its Gulangyu Island or “the Garden on the Sea” and Tulou or earth tower--received a warning from getting their 5A rating revoked by CNTA.
Based from the Categories and Rating Standard of Tourist Attractions, CNTA awards an A or 1A (the lowest) up to AAAAA or 5A (the highest) to a particular tourist attraction.
Shenlong Gorge in Nanping Town of Nanchuan District, a 4.2-meter-long gorge serving as home to the Five Dragons Waterfall, Nine Dragons Plank Road, Wind Cave and Shenlong Cave, offers a 2.8-meter-long rafting area for visitors.
Orange Isle, anchored in Xiang River in Changsha and where a 32-meter-tall granite bust of Mao Zedong--a young version of the communist statesman--rests, impresses tourists with its amusement and wildlife parks, manicured gardens and recreational centers.
The island likewise hosts the annual Orange Isle Music Festival, culminating in 2010, according to Xinhua.
