(Yicai Global) Feb. 26 -- China's tourism sector is hopeful of a rebound as signs emerge the novel coronavirus-caused pneumonia is starting to come under control and the volume of tickets ordered online has more than doubled every day over the past week as 300-plus scenic spots nationwide have successively resumed operations, statistics from China's leading online travel agency Trip.Com show.

The Shanghai-based e-booking firm did not detail ticket purchase amounts, stating only more than 300 famous Chinese tourist attractions had already opened again and were up and running as of yesterday in an over 11-fold rise from a week before.

Shares [NASDAQ:TCOM] of the firm's parent Trip.Com Group fell 3.55 percent yesterday to USD30.15.  

In Hangzhou, capital of southeastern Zhejiang province and a favored Chinese tour destination, 67 of its 103 scenic spots designated 'A-level or above' had already restarted operations, with 42 of them open to visitors, 21st Century Business Herald reported yesterday. Some other attractions that have not yet unlocked their gates have begun offering pre-ordering services, Trip.Com noted, adding more than 100 well-known places of interest had instituted these with preferential policies on its platform as of yesterday. Thus, Shanghai's Haichang Ocean Park dangled a discount for pre-orders that allows takers to enjoy almost one-half off in an offer valid anytime before the end of July.

Many trippers who have shelved their travel plans because of the Covid-19 epidemic are opting instead for virtual visits to attractions online. Trip.Com introduced its 'cloud travel' on Feb. 19 and by now has put almost 7,000 voice guide products for more than 3,000 scenic areas on its website, and the number of its users has risen six-fold since its debut.

China's Ministry of Culture and Tourism announced regulations on tourist attractions' prevention and control of the disease yesterday after the re-opening of some sites, requiring that attractions in high-risk areas should put off re-opening and mandating that those that have already restarted should limit their visitor counts to prevent crowds from forming. Disinfection and other prevention measures targeting Covid-19 must also be thoroughly implemented

Editor: Ben Armour