Twenty years ago this question would never have arisen, as most of these places were then frequented largely by overseas visitors in search of exotic beauty in the quietness and wilderness of a mysterious, faraway land.

Today, however, foreign sightseers find these locations no longer quiet or exotic as they jostle with larger crowds of local tourists, most of whom expect quality dining and lodging services and souvenir stores at hand while they enjoy the beautiful scenery.

Despite a decline in overseas tourist arrivals in 2001, 180 million Chinese, a 53.5 percent year-on-year rise, traveled domestically during the three week-long national holidays, official statistics show.

To cater to the needs of the growing number of domestic travelers and to boost the regional economy, tourism authorities in many cities soon put up hotels, restaurants, shopping centers and other public facilities.

In Beihai City, a well-known seaside resort in the Guangxi Zhuang Auto-nomous Region, dozens of hotels and restaurants were built in the early 1990s.

But there is certainly a price to pay. Many sightseers have found, to their dismay, that scenic spots are losing their charm now that the newly built cable cars, hotels and other public facilities have sprung up. These changes are followed by a significant drop in the number of foreign tourists.

Excess man-made facilities are also detrimental to the ecological environment: Waste, sewage and litter have polluted what were once green hills and crystal clear waters.

The problem has sounded an alarm for tourism officials around the country. Earlier this month, Beihai demolished most service facilities on the beach to restore its natural beauty.

However, some people have expressed concern.

"The majority of Chinese tourists don't like all-too-natural places, because shops and other services are not at hand," said an official in Beihai.

(eastday.com January 22, 2003)