Sichuan launches steps to gather information about tourists

Tourism Development Committee in Sichuan province is collecting information about tourists in Jiuzhaigou, a hot scenic spot in Sichuan province, hit by a 7.0-magnitude earthquake on Tuesday night, China National Tourism Administration said in a notice on Wednesday.

As summer is a busy season for Jiuzhaigou and the number of tourists traveling there has increased greatly in recent days, Sichuan tourism committee has been collecting and gathering information about tourists and is cooperating with travel agencies, local government and hotels to evacuate.

A task force led by Yang Jian, deputy director of the committee, left for Jiuzhaigou county on Wednesday, the national tourism administration said.

Data from Jiuzhaigou National Park showed that more than 38,000 tourists were travelling at the scenic spot on Tuesday. About a half was traveling by themselves and the others were in tour groups.

The Sichuan tourism committee has asked tourism administration authorities in neighboring cities such as Mianyang and Deyang to offer necessary help to tourists.

The national tourism administration has requested tourism administration authorities in Sichuan to report the situation of tourists in a timely manner.

Tourists in Jiuzhaigou could call 12301 – the national tourism service hotline - for help, the national tourism administration said in the notice.