Beijing scraps reservation system for most tourist sites in time for summer travel season

Visitors will still need to book ahead for the Forbidden City and National Museum

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Most Beijing attractions will no longer require tickets to be reserved in advance. Photo: VCG via Getty Images

Published: 6:00pm, 22 Jun 2024Updated: 6:41pm, 22 Jun 2024

Beijing has scrapped reservations for most of the Chinese capital’s major tourist attractions in time for the summer holidays as authorities try to revive an industry hit hard by the pandemic.

In a notice on Thursday, the Beijing Municipal Bureau of Culture and Tourism said that apart from a few exceptions such as the Forbidden City and the National Museum, reservations would no longer be needed for most tourist sites.

It said the decision was an attempt to “further improve the basic services of the city’s tourism areas”.

The announcement follows similar moves across the country to make it easier for both domestic and international tourists to plan holidays.

Earlier, the culture and tourism bureaus in the cities of Shanghai and Suzhou announced that except for some key scenic areas, all tourism attractions, and cultural venues would cancel their registration system.

Before the pandemic, reservations were required for many sites to help control congestion and pressure on facilities. But ticket sales and visitor numbers were tightened further to limit the spread of Covid-19, with most sites requiring real-name registration for entry.