Online map aids visitors to capital

An online map showing in real-time how busy some of Beijing's best known sites are has been designed for tourists and residents so they can plan their visits.

The map, developed by the Beijing Cyberspace Administration and the Beijing Commission of Tourism Development, monitors four popular scenic spots across the capital - the Forbidden City, the Temple of Heaven, the Summer Palace and Olympic Forest Park.

People who want to visit the sites can see which parking lots have spaces free, and how crowded the venues are.