Travel Agent - June 23, 2008 - (Page TA-24) DESTINATIONS PACIFIC/ASIA A Studio 7 Bedroom at Opposite House BEIJING CHINA STARTED OUT THE YEAR on a high note as it prepared to host the Summer Olympics, and then fell into a series of disasters: the violence in Tibet, Olympics torch protests in the West and the Chengdu earthquake that killed more than 60,000 and left 5 million homeless. The country has gotten high marks for the way it aided earthquake victims, and China may limp into the Summer Olympics this August with the world on its side, rather than being harshly critical. Beijing is on the brink of welcoming an estimated 550,000 overseas tourists and 2.58 24 | TravelAgent June 23, 2008 The Chinese capital prepares for an influx of tourists for the Olympic games BY MARK ROGERS million domestic visitors between August 8 and 24 for the 2008 Summer Olympics. Beijing natives say this is the best time of the year in the capital, with exceptionally clear skies. August and September mark the end of Beijing’s summer and the beginning of autumn, with the highest temperature around 86 degrees and the lowest temperature around 60. There are close to 40 five-star hotels in Beijing and the city is expected to add 4,000 upper-end hotel rooms this year, bringing the total to 7,000. The city has an extensive public transportation network of subways, buses and city rail high-speed trains. Running at intervals of three to five minutes, these high-speed trains are the fastest and most convenient public transportation. In preparation for the Games, Beijing has also inaugurated a new subway to zip passengers around the city. Visitors to Beijing will want to see the Forbidden City, the largest palace in the world; the Summer Palace; the Great Wall; and the Yuanmingyuan Garden. Several tour operators have options for multi-day river cruising on the Yangtze River. These cruises usually embark CONTINUED ON PAGE 26
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