China Exclusive: Cheers or hisses for free-entry to ancient town?

"China's most beautiful old town" will stop charging an admission fee after swathes of complaints from the public.

This, however, has given rise to another question: Will this bring in more big spending tourists without messing up the scenic spot?

Fenghuang in central Hunan Province announced on Monday that as of April 10 it would no longer charge the 148-yuan (23 U.S. dollars) admission fee for the "old town" area, where its iconic wooden buildings and riverside town scene are located.

It was the latest, and most high-profile, Chinese tourist spot to slash admission fees to appeal to tourists amid fiercer competition from overseas travels.

The local government began to charge an admission fee in 2013 to limit the number of tourists entering the overcrowded site and raise money for preservation and maintenance work.

The next three years have seen improved orders, better infrastructure and protection of the town, said Yao Wenkai, chief of the tourist administration of Fenghuang.

Yao said the town had made 650 million yuan (100 million U.S. dollars) from ticket sales, while the local government allocated 696 million yuan to the town's renovation, including reinforcing wooden structures, adding public toilets and cleaning the river.

Many store owners and inn keepers, however, opposed the entry fee, which they said drove away tourists and reduced their takings.

"Our business has fallen from heaven to hell since the implementation of the admission policy. There are fewer visitors, and we struggle to even make up the rent," said Zhao Hongying, who was sitting in her empty restaurant.

The county government of Fenghuang said a meeting to seek public opinions last week saw a staggering 78 percent of opinions opposing the fees.

A Hong Kong visitor, surnamed Tsoi, said the entry fee was too high for those "who just want to take a walk in the town."

Exorbitantly priced entrance tickets, she added, was a common problem across Chinese tourist sights.

"Compared with foreign destinations, admission fees in China are excessive. You often have to buy multiple tickets -- at the entrance, for the cable car and so on," she said.

Xiang Yunfang, who runs a silver ornament shop, fears the free entry will result in legions of low-spending package tourists.

"When there was no entrance fees, the town was often a free add-on when booking other trips," she said. "Too many tourists like this are not a good thing for us."

Local Zhang Hongqiu took a similar stance. "This is an ancient town so it needs maintenance funds and fewer people to maintain its tranquility," Zhang said.

Rong Fen, vice Party chief of Fenghuang County, said the admission fee had restored order to the local tourism market.

"But the admission economy has its limits and now runs counter to the new trend in China's tourist market," Rong said, adding that the admission was a major complaint of tourists who want unhindered access to the site.

Admission fees used to make up a big part of the local tourist revenue, but are now under reforms as China encourage a shift from relying on admissions to building an all-round tourist industry to boost spending.

China's tourist administration last year designated seven provinces and municipality to pilot an entrance ticket reform. Many tourist sites have responded by slashing admission fees and promising better services.

Wang Qiyan, an expert on recreational economy at Renming University of China, advised against charging admission at China's ancient towns.

"Exempting admission will not necessarily lead to declining revenue. The towns can earn more by selling better services and products," Wang said.

The fares are not even the best way to limit tourist number. Huang Jinzhu, a tourist management expert with South-Central University for Nationalities, said overcrowded sites can require visitors to make reservations in advance, and by doing so, limit the daily tourist volume.

"Instead of relying on levying entrance fees, tourist sites should make boosting consumption and attracting investments their main goals," Huang said. Endi