Administrative authorities at Jiuzhaigou (Nine-Village Gully), a popular scenic spot tucked away in the mountains in Southwest China's Sichuan Province, announced recently that all entrance tickets for the National Day holiday have been sold and travelers who plan to visit the area without a ticket should rethink their plans.

According to Feng Gang, director of the Jiuzhaigou Administrative Bureau, tickets sold out a full five days before the National Day holiday is scheduled to begin.

The holiday lasts from October 1 to 7.

To ensure the safety of travelers at Jiuzhaigou limits number of tourists to 12,000 a day.

Feng claimed all the tickets were sold at full price to preempt travel agencies from running discount-resale schemes.

Located in Sichuan's Nanping county, at an elevation of about 2,500 meters, Jiuzhaigou consists of three major gullies spreading over a total area of some 60,000 hectares.

The region, formerly the site of nine Tibetan villages, has become well known in recent years for its network of alpine lakes, spectacular waterfalls and impressive vegetation.

Experts in Beijing said that Jiuzhaigou's decision to limit ticket sales is just the most recent sign that new numbers of wealthy Chinese are creating a boom in the travel industry.

(People's Daily 09/27/2001)