Fu-Yin Highway to invigorate Wudang tourism

By Guo Rui and Xue Qisheng (chinadaily.com.cn)
Updated: 2009-10-22 13:19

The construction of a new highway between Shiyan and Xi'an is expected to bring more tourists to Shiyan's Wudang area.

Within 5 days of its recent completion, more than 8,000 people, most of them tourists, traveled across it to reach Wudang.

One of those visitors, from Xi'an, said he was very impressed with Wudang's picturesque scenery and magnificent architecture.

"I can't believe how great it is," he said. "It is like a wonderland."

Before the highway, the journey between Xi'an and Wudang took about 8 hours. With the new highway, it takes just 3.5 hours to make the 340 kilometer trip.

"It's very convenient," a tourist living in suburban Xi'an told China Daily. "My family can now travel to Wudang during the weekend."

As a well known international tourism hub, Xi'an receives 20-30 million tourists each year, putting it in the same league as Beijing, Shanghai and Guangdong.

The new highway is expected to bring some of those tourists to Wudang, invigorating the tourism industry in the area.