The area around West Lake, a famous scenic spot in eastern China, has found a new way to generate revenue for the park. While most scenic areas in the country have raised their prices, West Lake is letting-in visitors at no charge.

City officials cancelled the ticket scheme they introduced a decade ago to pull in money for the park. And it may come as a surprise, but the plan has actually caused profits to soar.

Wang Xinzhang, vice director of Hangzhou Tourism Committee, said, "The profits doubled by the end of last year, from over 50 billion yuan ($7.9 billion) to 119 billion yuan ($18.8 billion)."

Over 50 museums, memorial halls, and eight sightseeing spots are now free to the public. City officials replaced the ticket charges with expanded entertainment options - fuelled by large investments pumped into the area. And the free admission has prolonged visitors' stays inside the park - leading them to spend more on accommodations, dining and shopping.

Wang said, "The role of the ticket charge has been overshadowed by tourists' spending on leisure activities."

Admission fees to sightseeing spots have traditionally been the only source of profits for popular tourist destinations in China. But officials in charge of West Lake said their model is here to stay. They maintain that free tickets combined with greater service options should continue to be a winning combination.