Tourist boom expected for eclipse observation

By Zhang E

A Japanese tourist tries special viewing glasses. Photo: Xinhua

Thousands of people from across China and overseas are expected to travel long distances to gaze at the once-in-a-lifetime total solar eclipse of the sun tomorrow which is best visible along the Yangtze River.

The maximum length of the eclipse, which is expected to last 6 minutes and 39 seconds, would be the longest eclipse in a century. The best places in China to watch the eclipse would be between Shanghai and Chongqing, including Hangzhou, Suzhou, Hefei, Wuhan and Chengdu.

In Hangzhou, the Hangzhou China Travel Service said it has organized about 300 Hong Kong tourists into eight groups for five-day tours around Zhejiang Province. They will stop at the eclipse observation spot at Haining, a city known for its leather clothes, located in the eastern part of the province.

An estimated 30,000 tourists from across China and countries such as France, Canada, Japan and Sweden are expected in Zhejiang Province for tomorrow’s eclipse, said a manager surnamed Wang at the European-Asian Department of the Hangzhou China Travel Service.

Zhejiang Province has picked tourist spots including Wuzhen, Huzhou and Jiaxing as observation points in order to encourage visitors to see the entire province, in addition to the eclipse, said Wang. Some visitors signed up for the 18- day package that will take them from Zhejiang to Yunnan.

Tongling, a city in Anhui Province, is one of the best places to catch a great view of the eclipse and the city is making preparations to handle an influx of visitors.

At tlnews.cn, Tongling’s portal website, a new section called “Observe the Eclipse at Tongling” is keeping visitors informed.

Li Ming, the mayor of Tongling, said at an eclipse promotion conference July 14 that they were confident enough to make this eclipse observation a historic event and he expected the eclipse to boost Tongling’s tourism industry.

The tourist boom is also expected to help the hotel industry. At the five-star Landison Plaza Hotel Hangzhou, more than 100 rooms have been reserved by observers, said a manager in the hotel’s marketing and communication department. She said the room prices range from 1,000 yuan ($146.39) to 2,500 yuan.

Teng Yuhui, a businessman from Benxi, Liaoning Province, said his family would enjoy a weeklong tour around the Yangtze River Delta after the eclipse.

“If not for the total eclipse, maybe we’d go to Yunnan,” he said. “My son doesn’t want to miss the total eclipse for nobody could live another 300 years.”

So far, 81 overseas groups made up of scientists and other enthusiasts have confirmed plans to visit Suzhou. More than 10,000 people are expected in the beautiful city by tomorrow, according to the Suzhou Tourism Bureau.

Some local vendors are also capitalizing on the rare event.

Zhang Fa, 28, a student at Suzhou University, said he purchased 1,500 pairs of special viewing glasses, and sells them at an evening street market in Xuhui district of Shanghai for 10 yuan each. “I have sold 1,100 pairs in 15 days,” he said.

At the Beijing Planetarium, a manager said they sell thousands of viewing glasses every day.

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