From travel hotlines to homestay programs, Beijing is pulling out all the stops to accommodate the more than 1.5 million tourists from home and abroad expected to converge at the capital for next month's Olympics.
Latest statistics from the municipal tourism administration showed that the city has 5,794 hotels, providing 336,000 rooms, or 660,000 beds, for the Games.
"At present, 77 percent of five-star hotel rooms are booked, and the booking rate should be 80 percent during the Games," said the tourism administration's director, Zhang Huiguang, during the weekend.
Other three-and-four-star hotels still have half of their rooms available, she said.
More than 500,000 overseas tourists are expected to arrive in Beijing for the Olympics, instead of the official forecast of up to 450,000, experts have said.
The latest forecast is based on past Olympics, He Guangye, chairman of Asia-Pacific Tourism Organization, was quoted by the Workers' Daily newspaper yesterday as saying.
Mainland tourists alone are expected to hit 1.1 million, with Olympic visitors likely to generate direct economic income of 116 billion yuan ($17 billion) for the host city.
A six-day Beijing tour package during the Games costs up to $6,000 alone, the Workers' Daily reported.
To help foreigners who might be targeted by illegal or unscrupulous travel operators, Zhang listed several ways for the visitors to obtain help and travel information. These include seeking help from about 600 information booths located throughout the city and dialing a "12301" national hotline for tourists.
Those who want to sign up for day tours of Beijing can also dial "8353-1111" to join authorized travel operators, she said.
Similarly, the administration will provide free brochures on the capital's attractions at the Beijing Capital International Airport's terminal buildings, and all hotels of three stars and above, Zhang said.
Homestay scheme
To provide an additional platform for foreigners to get a taste of life in Beijing, the municipal tourism bureau has also arranged for homestay programs.
Wang Yi, a businessman who owns a siheyuan, or courtyard house, in downtown Dongcheng district, felt honored to be one of the 598 Beijing homeowners selected by the city authorities to host foreign tourists during the Olympic Games.
Covering an area of 300 sq m, Wang's hutong-style compound represents traditional Beijing architecture with a pair of stone lions standing on each side of the door, a carved screen-wall inside the gate and a corridor engraved with classic patterns and designs.
The house was built during the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911) and has a history of several hundred years, said Wang Yi, who is in his 40s.
Applicants to be hosts of the homestay program are required to provide well-ventilated and sanitary rooms for visitors. At least one person in each family should be capable of speaking English.
The 598 households in Beijing were chosen from more than 1,000 applicants as officially designated homestay hosts for foreign tourists next month.
Most of the families live near major Olympic stadiums, trunk roads, cultural sites and hutong, providing easy access for guests to experience traditional Beijing life.
The cost of each family hotel under the homestay program is $50 to $80 a night, about a seventh of the cost of a three- or four-star hotel during the Games.
To cater to the taste of overseas travelers, Wang Yi also bought a set of Chinese-style furniture for his north-facing guest room.
"This is chao embroidery, one of the four most famous categories of Chinese embroidery products," Wang said, pointing to a framed needlework on the wall.
Wearing a Chinese-style suit himself, Wang said his 17-year-old daughter had hoped to become an Olympic volunteer, which prompted him to apply as a host under the homestay scheme.
A senior high school student, Wang's daughter has traveled to several countries, where she had no problem communicating with foreigners in English.
Wang said he has bought a coffee machine for guests and is learning to make simple Western-style food in case visitors are not accustomed to Chinese cuisine. He is also prepared to act as a guide for his guests.
"I will try my best to make foreign guests feel at home as hospitality is a traditional characteristic of the Chinese people," he said, adding that participating in the Games in whatever way was a source of great pride for him.
The China Travel Service Head Office and the China International Travel Service Head Office (CITS) will also help homestay guests enjoy the capital's attractions and arrange for them to view at least one Olympic match, Zhao Xin, CITS's Olympic service center's director, said.
The Beijing tourism authorities said most homestay visitors will come from Asian countries, including Japan, South Korea, Singapore and Malaysia.
Source: China Daily/Xinhua
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