All non-Chinese people will get free access to 12 major tourist sites in Anyang city, Henan province under a new policy, which the country's citizens believe "fawns over foreigners".
The program, which will continue until the end of the year, is designed to attract more foreign tourists, who are smaller in number than domestic travelers to the city, the Anyang tourism bureau said.
Overseas tourists will only have to show their passports to enter historical spots like Yinxu - the ruins of the last capital of China's Shang Dynasty (1766 BC - 1050 BC) - one of the oldest and largest archaeological sites in China and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The Chinese, however, will have to cough up 50 yuan (S$10.57) for a ticket.
"We are trying to spread the Chinese culture. We think Anyang should have tourists from all over the world," said Zhang Jianguo, director of Anyang tourism bureau.
Many netizens expressed their anger at the policy, which was described as "fawning over foreigners" on popular portal Sina.com.
The website held an online poll of 19,291 people and found 92 percent did not support the program and only 4 percent thought it was a good idea.
It also found that 52 percent thought it stemmed from a "weird inclination to treat foreigners better", and 36 percent "want to know why do the Chinese have to pay".
A netizen named "A Xiang" said: "Foreigners can afford to pay for the tickets, but those who can't are local citizens and students, who may come to Anyang if the tourist spots were made free for all."
Another person named Yikeshu said: "I doubt a foreigner will make his plans to visit China only because a city has made some tourists spots free for him."
Anyang is one of eight historical capitals in China with a history dating back more than 3,300 years. It is where oracle bones were found and is also where Zhouyi, or the Book of Changes, originated.
Also among the 12 tourist destinations is the Red Flag Channel, a man-made river constructed in the 1960s, and Yuefei Temple, built in honor of Yue Fei, a famous Chinese patriot and military general born in Anyang.
Zhang said some 12 million tourists visited Anyang last year, of which just 35,000 were foreigners. "This obviously is not a good proportion for us, and is not in accordance with the fame of Anyang," he said.
Asked why the tourist spots were not made free for Chinese, Zhang said: "That would have been unrealistic. We need revenue from somewhere to operate these sites."
He added: "Besides, if we don't charge the natives, there will be a huge number of people flocking to the spots, causing minor issues."
Zhang said there were other favorable policies for native tourists, such as a one-year pass to all the 14 scenic points for 90 yuan.
Free tickets worth 10 million yuan have been given out to people across the country since last December, he added.
