Tickets to enter the ancient walled city of Pingyao in north China's Shanxi Province will be increased to 125 yuan (US$18) from 100 yuan (US$15) in six months with a 20-percent price fluctuation for low and peak tourist seasons.

The Price Bureau in Shanxi Province approved the plan last week.

Under the new price scheme, the valid dates of the tickets have been extended from two to three days. No additional charges will be levied once visitors are inside the walled city. Additional proceeds from the ticket sales will be used for cultural preservation in the walled city, the report said.

Under the new pricing policy, students and senior citizens under 70 will receive a 50-percent discount on tickets when they show valid IDs, while children, the disabled, army officers, disabled former soldiers and seniors who are 70 or older will be able to enter the walled old town free of charge.

Pingyao's ancient walled city has plenty of well-preserved cultural relics representing Shanxi's prosperous past during the Ming (1368-1644) and Qing (1644-1911) dynasties. It was added to the World Cultural Heritage List in 1997.

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