Olympic venues popular among tourists during Chinese lunar new year

Source: Xinhua | 01-30-2009 08:34

BEIJING, Jan. 29 (Xinhua) -- The main Olympic venues of Bird's Nest and Water Cube remained their charm to tourists during the first four days of the Chinese lunar new year holidays, the city's tourism authority said Thursday.

The main Olympic venues of Bird's Nest and Water Cube remained  their charm to tourists during the first four days of the Chinese  lunar new year holidays, the city's tourism authority said Thursday.

Approximately 80,000 people visited the two sites, officially known as the National Stadium and the National Aquatic Center, respectively, between Monday to Thursday, the first four days of the week-long holiday.

The Bird's Nest opened to the public from Oct.1. The stadium attracted 60,000 tourists on its opening day, and an average of 20,000 to 30,000 visitors every day since then.

Other Olympic sites and the National Center for the Performing arts of China, formerly known as the National Grand Theater that opened in December last year, were also popular tourist attractions during the holidays.