Beijing holds tour of world horti expo venue ahead of opening

Beijing held a trial opening of the 2019 International Horticultural Expo site on Saturday to test its reception capacity, Beijing Youth Daily reports.

About 60,000 visitors including Beijing local residents, participants, organizers, sponsors, and volunteers of the expo toured the 503-hectare site at the foot of the Great Wall, in Yanqing District of Beijing.

A visitor tours the venue of the 2019 Beijing International Horticultural Exhibition on Saturday, on April 20, 2019, in Yanqing district, Beijing. [Photo: IC]

Some visitors had to use different transportation modes such as buses and cars, or walk to the venue for officials to monitor traffic conditions on the route leading to the site and the parking capacity around it.

A total of 1528 staff were on duty to provide operation management, reception, and tourist and security services.

Two soldiers are on patrol to offer security service on the trial opening day of 2019 Beijing International Horticultural Exhibition site, on Saturday, on April 20, 2019, in Yanqing district, Beijing. [Photo: IC]

All 78 entrances to the exhibition were opened with 330 ticket takers on duty.

The site opened to the visitors from 8:00-21:00 during the trial run with admissions starting from 8:00 to 18:30.

It is the second trial run conducted after the first was held on April 13 when around 30,000 people toured the site.

Compared with the first trail run, Saturday's test opening had more activities, which included parades and art performance. A test for night-time tours was also conducted for the first time.

An art performance is held on the trial opening day of 2019 Beijing International Horticultural Exhibition site, on Saturday, on April 20, 2019, in Yanqing district, Beijing. [Photo: IC]

The 2019 Beijing International Horticultural Expo is slated to open on April 29 and run through to Oct. 7.

With just one week to go, the 162-day expo is poised to impress an estimated 16 million visitors from home and abroad.