The Hanging Temple buit upon crags of Hengshan Mountain in Datong, Shanxi province [Photo / dt.gov.cn]

The city of Datong, Shanxi province, has passed some new tourism regulations, effective Oct 27, to guarantee tourist rights and impart some order to the travel market, with stricter supervision proposed for key tourism spots, including the Yungang Grottoes at Wuzhou Mountain, tourist spots in and around Hengshan Mountain, Huayan Buddhist Temple, built around 1062, and the Jinhua National Mine Park.

The city government has asked these tourist spots to put up a notice at the entrance stating their intention to maintain service quality, safety, and tourist operations, and to provide a hotline to deal with visitor complaints immediately.

Illegal businesses and those operating without a license will be banned, while the emphasis this year is on food and restaurant safety, with travel agencies and tourist guides being told to take customers to registered restaurants only.

The city is also developing strict regulations on parking lots, shuttle buses and their drivers, travel agencies, and shopping areas at tourist sites and any instances of fraud with fake religious activities in and around tourist spots are in the spotlight.