Beijing - This year's three-day New Year holiday saw more visitors choosing to spend time in Beijing, with people flocking to many of the capital's outdoor winter sports sites.
About 2.4 million tourists visited 130 major tourists destinations in Beijing, according to data from the Beijing Holiday Tourism Work Group.
This is a 4.5-percent increase year on year. Parks with outdoor facilities were particularly crowded during the Jan. 1-3 holiday.
Beihai Park, which has a large pond in downtown Beijing, saw about 120 000 tourists, up 37 percent year on year.
The Summer Palace, Yuyantan Park, Taoranting Park, Beihai Park, Zizhuyuan Park and Beijing Botanical Garden were among the most popular destinations for skiing and skating.
Ski resorts in suburban Beijing also reported increased visitors. Village tourism, on the outskirts of Beijing, is also booming.
About 340 000 people spent their holiday time in suburban Beijing, up 8.9 percent year on year.
Tourists spent 25.84-million yuan while visiting the villages, up 14. 6 percent year on year, the statistics showed.
Xinhua