Flower show boosts Shenyang tourism
The ongoing 2006 International Horticultural Exposition in Shenyang, Liaoning Province, has greatly boosted the city’s tourism industry.
So far, the exposition, which opened on May 1, has received 5.23 million visits, with ticket sales earning a handsome 200 million yuan (US$25 million).
Shenyang Tourism Bureau says the city’s tourism income reached 11.1 billion yuan (US$1.39 billion) in the first six months of this year, mainly due to the horticultural exposition.
The city received 16.7 million tourists from home and abroad in the first six months, a year-on-year growth of 15.7 per cent.
Liaoshen Evening News
71.3% Beijingers tune in to World Cup action
According to a survey, 71.3 per cent of Beijing residents are following the ongoing World Cup championships in Germany on either TV or radio.
But the time difference with Germany means that only a few are watching the later matches a mere 7.1 per cent are tuning in to the games broadcast at 3 am Beijing time.
The survey also shows that among those watching live broadcasts, 54 per cent are male and 20.4 per cent are students.
The Beijing News
Camera helps police crack down on dodgy cabs
Beijing traffic police are using a camera installed near the Pingguoyuan Subway Station in Shijingshan District to launch “lightning attacks” against unlicensed taxis.
The police fine each unlicensed taxi 10,000 to 20,000 yuan (US$1,250 to 2,500).
Traffic policeman Xiao Jianhua said that the area was notorious for its unlicensed cabs. The camera will prove very helpful in the police crackdown, he said.
The Beijing News
Expert calls for suburban rail network
Beijing is considering using suburban trains to connect the downtown area with its outskirts.
The trains will run on some existing railway lines, said Wang Dong, the chief designer at Beijing Academy of Urban Design and Planning.
Wang added that such rail services would encourage more people to move out to suburban areas.
Big car parks will also be built near the suburban train stations to form a convenient transport system.
The Beijing News
