After the devastating earth quake on May 12th, Tourists to Wolong and Chengdu Research Centres fell. Whilst Wolong has been pretty much destroyed and will take some time before it is fully functional again Chengdu is reporting that tourists are returning and numbers are about the same as last year.

October is the golden month in the Base’s annual tourism season. During the 7-day national holiday (this year from September 29 to October 5), about 31,822 tourists from home and abroad visited the Base, engaging in an exploration of the panda’s life and its survival secrets.

It is said that in the last few months the number of tourists, especially domestic tourists, has largely decreased as a result of the May 12 earthquake. However, the newborn panda cubs, the modified and improved facilities and the upgraded services have brought tourists back to the Base, many choosing to see these animals during the week long national holiday. Altogether, the Base received 27,599 domestic tourists and 4,223 foreign tourists during this time, with 6,527 on one day, the highest one day intake since the Base was built. On average, the daily number of visitors is around 4500, almost the same as in previous years.

The golden season has just begun and the Base has plenty of surprises in store for visitors!