Visitors to Lijiang Ancient Town, a UNESCO World Heritage Site in Yunnan province, will be required to pay a 50-yuan ($7) maintenance fee starting Aug 1, according to a recently released administrative regulation.

The fee, valid for one year, grants unlimited entry to the historic site during that period. It applies to Dayan Ancient Town (including the Black Dragon Pool), and the Baisha and Shuhe residential complexes.

According to the newly introduced measures, the funds will be used exclusively for the conservation and upkeep of the centuries-old town, known for its well-preserved architecture and cultural heritage.

The revised rules lower the previous fee from 80 yuan and extend its validity from one week to a full year. They also broaden the scope of exemptions from three categories to eight.

Exempt individuals include locals, licensed tour guides and tourist vehicle drivers, children under 12 or shorter than 1.2 meters, seniors aged 60 and above, people with disabilities, and national model workers.

A staff member from the ancient town's administration bureau told Cover News, a local news portal headquartered in Chengdu, Sichuan province, that the maintenance fee has been collected since 2007, though it previously applied primarily to tour groups.

Under the updated system, group visitors will pay through travel agencies, while individual travellers can make payments at designated checkpoints.

Contact the writer at pengchao@chinadaily.com.cn