Tourism at the Three Gorges, where the construction of the world's largest hydro-power project is under construction, has picked up after a low market period.

Tourism's recovery at the Three Gorges has been attributed to the 50 percent annual increase of tourists to central China's Hubei Province, which will reach 430,000 this year, according to Du Yunsheng, director of the Provincial Tourism Bureau.

With the theme of "New Century, New Three Gorges," major scenic sites in the dam area, which are going to be submerged, have drawn interest from more and more overseas visitors, said sources with the tourist bureau.

Pan Xihan, a tourism adviser, said in 2003, when the power generating sets at the water conservation project are operational, there will be a watershed of landscape transformation at the Three Gorges. However, both of the scenery before and after the damming will be a hot selling spot for the promotion of tourism.

Three Gorges was crowded with visitors in 1997, who rushed to give a farewell look at scenic spots. Unprepared local tourist departments, tried to caution anxious tourists not to be misled by some travel agencies, because the existing tourist sites will not all be submerged in 2003.

In the past few years, the availability of accommodations for tourists at the Three Gorges has been significantly improved. The cruising routes are capable of handling 300,000 tourists annually.

Insiders say that the tourist accommodation capability can be lifted to over 1 million, if more scientific measures are taken to direct the passenger flow.

(People’s Daily 12/27/2000)