The 2005 Tourism Alliance Cooperation Summit came to an end in Zhouzhuang on March 1st. The heads of over 100 domestic travel agencies participating in the summit expressed the same opinion: Zhouzhuang, with its charming 'small bridge, flowing stream and cottages,' has lagged behind other river towns in the Southern Yangtze region.

Liu Rongqiang, Secretary-general of BTG International Travel & Tour, stressed that nowadays commercialism has penetrated every part of Zhouzhuang. 'People come to Zhouzhuang for nothing more than to personally experience simple folk customs and the graceful humanistic environment of a peaceful heaven. Since the atmosphere here has changed, those who now visit Zhouzhuang all sigh, 'we should not have come here.' said Liu Rongqiang.

Although it was known that noise pollution from the city would do harm to the atmosphere of Zhouzhuang, ticket prices for the 'No.1 water town of the Southern Yangtze' nevertheless rose from 60 yuan to over 100 yuan in September. Moreover, extra charges apply for trips on black canopy boats to the famed Huima Building of the Shen residence.

Confronting threats from other travel agencies, Zhang Xinmei, General Manager of Zhouzhuang Tourism Co., Ltd. said that Zhouzhuang's tourism business no longer needed to rely on travel agencies. From the point of view of protecting Zhouzhuang, the town prefers independent tourists.