Ren Zhenjun, director of the county's tourism administration, said it is not feasible for Fenghuang to copy the example of West Lake, a well-known tourist destination in Hangzhou, where admission is free, according to a report in the Xiaoxiang Morning Herald on Wednesday.

He said local residents in Hangzhou are the main visitors and leading consumers at West Lake, and the Hangzhou government owns a lot of property near the lake so it can guarantee sufficient revenue from rentals to cover maintenance costs, a different situation to that in Fenghuang.

He predicted a yearly increase of 10 percent in tourists visiting Fenghuang by the end of 2013, and said the number of visitors will rebound after July following a short-term decline.

"The business (of shops) may suffer in the beginning, but we should look forward."