Internet boosts tourism management

ZHENGZHOU - Gong Hua, a Beijing resident, is planning a trip. He will visit Longmen Grottoes, a world cultural heritage site in central Henan province this weekend, a three-day holiday.

He has booked everything via apps on his phone.

In April, Longmen Grottoes signed a deal with Tencent to develop Internet services including ticket sales, guidance and management. Longmen hosted more than 3 million tourists last year.

Now, Gong can preview the grottoes through WeChat, Tencent's instant messenger.

"Internet plus is a very good tool," said Yu Ying, head of the Longmen Grottoes Scenic Area Administration Commission.

"Internet Plus" was put forward by Premier Li Keqiang in March, meaning the integration of the Internet and traditional industries through online platforms and IT technology.

It is reshaping traditional industries, including manufacturing and tourism.

"Travels and the ways Chinese tourists can get information are changing. Destinations are responding to the change," said Xie Chaowu, a tourism researcher at Huaqiao University in Fujian Province.

In an era of mass tourism, traditional tourist spots cannot offer a good service to everyone, while Internet makes many services available to tourists, said Xie.

Internet plus tourism is gaining momentum in other provinces such as the southwestern Sichuan, and eastern Anhui and Shandong provinces.

The integration of Internet into traditional tourism will enhance the management efficiency and service quality of tourist spots, said Yuan Yanhong, general manager of the Chongdugou scenic area in Henan.

As tourism booms, insufficient staff and services in many scenic spots cannot meet the demands of visitors, said Yuan.

The Chongdugou area began to sell tickets online in 2009. More than 60 out of 300 farmers' restaurants have found tour group reservations through websites providing services for tourists.

Internet service will also help managers control the number of visitors and protect facilities, according to Yuan.

The Palace Museum in Beijing, also known as the Forbidden City, began to cap the number of visitors at 80,000 per day on Saturday.

The museum also now requires all travel agencies book tickets online and demands the use of ID cards when purchasing tickets.