WUHAN, April 26 (Xinhua) -- Central China's Hubei Province, once hard hit by COVID-19, has resumed the operation of its 266 major Class-A tourist attractions, or 63.2 percent of the total, as the epidemic wanes, local authorities said Sunday.
Of the tourists sites, 12 are top-rated Class-5A attractions, according to the provincial department of culture and tourism. However, the Yellow Crane Tower, a landmark tourist attraction in Wuhan, remains closed.
[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="3000"] The scenery along the section of Yangtze River at Xiling Gorge in Zigui County, central China's Hubei Province, March 14, 2020. (Photo by Zheng Jiayu/Xinhua)[/caption]A guideline for the coming May Day holiday travel issued by the department said all the reopened tourist spots should limit the flow of visitors to 30 percent of the daily capacity and can only open their outdoor areas to prevent epidemic spread.
Tourists are required to book tickets and reserve visiting slots on the official website, through smartphone application or by phone in advance and enter the spots on time.
[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="4725"] Black-winged stilts at Gongshui River National Wetland Park in Xuan'en County, central China's Hubei Province, April 18, 2020. (Photo by Song Wen/Xinhua)[/caption]More staff will be arranged to patrol the areas including entries, main routes and dining areas in the attractions and the province will also monitor tourist flows by network and big data to avoid gatherings, the guideline said. ■