Get married first! or you have to pay an extra entry fee to take your girlfriend home

Phoenix Ancient Town, a popular tourist destination in Hunan Province. If you are a resident of this town, you will have to pay RMB 148 as the entry fee to take your girlfriend home inside after this April 10th, as the couple did as the picture above.

Phoenix Ancient Town is used to be open to the public, but not any more. Since April 10th, every visitor to the village has to pay an RMB 148 yuan (about USD $24) entry fee, even if they just come to see some family. RMB 148 yuan is over a third of rural monthly disposable income.

The local tourism officials explained that to charge the entry fee is to create a better environment, however, this charging policy has not been discussed publicly and it has dramatically reduced the number of tourists and upset local merchants and shop owners. Many local merchants stopped their business and protested this policy (picture above).

I know why the local officials decided to charge the entry fee, because they are unable to demolish this ancient town and sell the land to real estate developers. Then, what other choice do they have?