Dunhuang slashes entry fees in winter tourism drive

Dunhuang, a historic hub along China's ancient Silk Road, has launched an unprecedented tourism promotion campaign, offering free admission and significant discounts to its major attractions during the winter-spring season.

From Dec 1, 2024, to Feb 28, 2025, visitors can enjoy free entry to several iconic sites, including the Mingsha Mountain (Echoing Sand Mountain) and Crescent Lake, Yumen Pass, and the Dunhuang Yadan National Geopark. The world-renowned Mogao Grottoes, a UNESCO World Heritage site, is also offering 50 percent discounted tickets during this period.

In a move to enhance the visitor experience at the Mogao Grottoes, authorities have increased the number of accessible caves from eight to ten, allowing tourists to explore more of the site's magnificent Buddhist art and manuscripts dating back over a millennium.

Tourism experts note that winter visits to Dunhuang offer unique advantages, including smaller crowds and the opportunity to experience the desert's stark beauty in cooler weather. The reduced prices make these cultural and natural wonders more accessible to a broader range of visitors, supporting the region's tourism recovery efforts.

This promotional campaign represents part of a broader strategy to develop year-round tourism in the Gansu province and maintain Dunhuang's position as a key cultural tourism destination along the historic Silk Road.