As the National Day holiday is approaching, Beijing has launched an activity to evaluate its numerous scenic spots in preparation for this peak travel period in China.

The Summer Palace, the imperial retreat residence built during the Qing Dynasty, got the highest rating from the 28 examinees.

The activity was organized by the Beijing Tourism Industry Association. It mainly focused on the service standards and environmental quality of the locations. Visitors' opinions were also taken into consideration.

Besides the Summer Palace, the Beijing Botanical Garden, the World Park and the Temple of Heaven were also praised. The results show that the overall state of the tourism destinations in the capital is better than in previous years, and that both the security measures and sanitary facilities are improving.

(CRIENGLISH.com September 29, 2005)