(Xinhua)
Updated: 2007-10-04 15:39

BEIJING -- China's travel agencies had cut an average 30 percent off the price of most domestic group tours by Thursday, the fourth day of the National Day "golden week".

CYTS, CITS, CCT and other major agencies were discounting trips to top tourist attractions, including Great Jiuzhaigou (Jiuzhai and Huanglong) in Southwest China's Sichuan Province, Lijiang in Yunnan Province, Zhangjiajie in Central China's Hunan Province, and Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region in the northwest, which depart after Thursday.

Costs for tours abroad, particularly Japan and the Republic of Korea, fell by up to 1,000 yuan (132 U.S. dollars), according to prices offered by www.ctrip.com.

However, most trips departing from Thursday to Sunday, the last day of the seven-day national holiday, were booked up, according to ctrip and CYTS.

The government launched the "golden week" holidays for Spring Festival, Labor Day and National Day in 1999 to encourage people to spend more money.

The weeklong holidays have seen tourist numbers and consumption soar, boosting the national economy. However, they have also challenged the capacities of scenic resorts and transportation systems.