BES Woniu (Beijing) Tourist Attraction Management Co Ltd chair Xu Ting recalls his unique experience of using facial-recognition technology upon entering Wuzhen, a popular destination in Zhejiang province. The ancient water town is also celebrated as an IT hub.

"It's an inspiration to explore new ways of ticket-checking," he says.

"And artificial intelligence will optimize the management of scenic areas. The problem of management should be used to plan smart scenic areas. For example, big data analyses can measure scenic spots' capacity to accept visitors and vehicles."

Xu believes scenic areas will be better able to efficiently deploy such resources as staff and shuttle buses to avoid problems like overcrowding if tourists are able to book tickets online in advance.

He suggests scenic areas offer platforms for consultation, interaction, mobile payment and online promotion.

Beijing founded a tourism-industry big data center in partnership with the travel agency China CYTS Tours and mobile-data-service platform TalkingData this spring.

The center crunches data about visitor demographics, such as where they come from.

Indeed, big data will increasingly expand its role in China's travel sector.

It's poised to go beyond assessing reputations based on travelers' reviews to ensuring these reputations are increasingly deserved by improving their services.

Contact the writer at xulin@chinadaily.com.cn

AAAAA destinations with the best online reputations
(listed in no particular order)
? The Temple of Heaven, Beijing
? The classical gardens of Suzhou, Jiangsu
? Slender West Lake in Yangzhou, Jiangsu
? Fujian's earthen buildings
? Yunyang Longgang National Geopark in Chongqing
? Gulangyu Island in Xiamen, Fujian
? Tongli Ancient Town in Suzhou, Jiangsu
? Pingyao Ancient City in Shanxi
? The ruins of Yin, the capital of the Shang Dynasty (c.16th century-11th century BC), in Anyang, Henan
? Xixi National Wetland Park in Hangzhou, Zhejiang