Online reservation system launched

One of China’s biggest travel companies Ctrip.com launched an online ticket reservation platform for more than 3,000 global tourist attractions on Tuesday as tourist figures continued to impress.

Chen Min, general manager of Ctrip’s Vacation Business Unit, told China Daily that 3.1 billion tickets to areas of scenic beauty were sold in China last year, a sharp rise from 2.6 billion in 2011. But online ticket reservations only count for 1 percent of the total market and more than 75 percent of Chinese tourists still prefer to get their tickets from the traditional travel agency.

About 35 percent of respondents said they would book their flight, hotel and ticket for scenic spots before their holiday according to a survey that interviewed more than 2,500 Chinese tourists and 100 Chinese universities. Around 54 percent however, admitted to spontaneity and bought their tickets after reaching the destination.

Ticket revenue for China’s 153 national 5A-level scenic spots and over 2,000 4A-level ones generated more than 40 percent of the country’s total of 140 billion yuan ($22.64 billion) ticket sales in 2012, according Yang Yanfeng, associate researcher with China Tourism Academy. Li Haijun from Ctrip’s Vacation Business Unit said ticket prices for China’s major scenic spots increased 300 fold over the last 30 years.