The Qilian (Tibetan: Chilen or Dhola) county in Haibei (Tsojang) Prefecture, Qinghai province, which is considered by Tibetans as the bulk of their historical Amdo (or Domey) province, has been overrun by Chinese tourists during China’s week-long National Day holiday which began on Oct 1, following the completion of a national highway. A place with a population of only about 50,000 suddenly found itself receiving more than 100,000 visitors in a single day, reported China’s official globaltimes.cn Oct 5.
While all the county’s more than 400 hotels and guesthouses were fully booked, nearly 500 people were accommodated in publicly provided beds on Oct 3, the report said, citing local cultural and tourism authorities. Some tourists have been cited as saying Oct 5 that “it’s like winning the lottery” to find accommodation there.
Nearly 35,000 vehicles entered the county on Oct 3, bringing more than 100,000 people into the area, Feng Lingling, head of the local tourism bureau, has said.
