China tourism warms after snow chaos

China's beleaguered tourism industry is regaining strength as the spring conditions and clear skies warm up the previously snow-hit regions. Order has basically been restored at the affected tourism spots which are prepared to receive both domestic and foreign visitors.

China's beleaguered tourism industry is regaining strength as the spring conditions and clear skies warm up the previously snow-hit regions.

Local tourism bureaus in the snow-hit regions were expecting a tourism boom as many of those who had canceled travel plans had decided to reschedule, according to the China Tourism Association.

In Hunan Province, one of the worst hit provinces, some travel agencies predicted a 30 percent increase in clients in early March, compared with the same period last year.

Wang Bingbing, Manager of Travel Agency said "We had one thousand customers every day during the Spring Festival period. But now we have five thousand customers every day. Our business is back to normal."

According to the National Tourism Administration, the bad weather that hit the country for about a month starting in mid-January, cost the tourism industry 7 billion yuan.

The seven worst-hit provinces, including Guizhou, Hunan, Anhui and Hubei, had completely or partly ceased their tourism businesses. Tourism earnings during February's Spring Festival were down 30 percent, compared with the same holiday season last year.