Source: CCTV.com

04-22-2009 19:19

Special Report:   Global Financial Crisis

Two months after Hangzhou issued the first batch of tourism coupons, the city government says it would issue a second batch, worth 100 million yuan.

Hangzhou says it's already seen the results from its first batch of coupons, worth 150 million yuan.

One hotel manager said "So far we've received more than 300 coupons. Most of coupon users are short-term travellers."

Jiang Yan, Chairman of Zhejiang Int'l Tourism Group said "Our sales revenue increased nearly 40 percent year on year. Most of the increase was driven by the tourism coupons. The number of visitors has surged a lot since the coupons were issued."

The city says the second batch of tourism coupon will be issued mainly in Yangzte River Delta, and some will be printed in English, Japanese and Korean, to be issued overseas.

Spokesman of Hangzhou Tousim Bureau said "The par value before was only 10 yuan, but now it has the value of 10, 20, and 50 yuan. The total value of each share has increased to 200 yuan."

The second batch of coupons will be available after June the 1st. Travellers can use ten yuan for every forty they spend. Take a ten yuan coupon for example. The government will subsidize 5 yuan, and the other 5 yuan will be paid by travel companies or tourist spots.

Manager of Hangzhou Leifeng Tower Site said "It's really worth it. We give away part of our profit, drawing travellers from everywhere to Hangzhou. It's also a way to let the world know Hangzhou."

One hotel manager said "The government needs to boost domestic needs, and our companies must take some part of the consumption. If travellers increase, we can afford it."

 

Editor:Xiong Qu