THE SHANGAIIST

writes following in the blog....the whole story please find in the side-bar of this blog (I feel free just to copy a small part of this post here - thank you Shanghaiist):
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How much are Beijing's Olympic security measures costing China ?
China's heightened security measures are causing many others to worry, too. Judging from businesses across the country this summer, visa restrictions are in danger of preventing the economic windfall that many anticipated the Olympics would bring. Hotels and restaurants in many of China’s cities have reported the worst business in years. "Business has never been so bad," Ma Yi, the manager of a restaurant in Yiwu, told the LA Times on Monday. Information from the Beijing Tourist Bureau obtained by the New York Times on Tuesday stated that only 44 percent of the rooms in four star hotels and 77 percent of five-star hotel rooms are booked. Other forms of housing are suffering too: Peking Duck’s Richard says that in the past few weeks, the prices of Beijing apartments on Craigslist have been experiencing "something akin to a meltdown." The Associated Press wonders if it’s not only China’s security restrictions and limited Olympic tickets that are keeping potential tourists from visiting: many foreigners could be put off because the government seems more concerned with keeping them out than welcoming them to the Games.
The Summer Games were predicted to bring 500,000 visitors and an extra $4.5 billion in revenue to Beijing, United Press International attests. But in recent weeks, the New York Times’ David Barboza notes, Beijing appears to be "less concerned about hosting a global party and more concerned with making sure no one spoils it." As James Fallows notes, the problem goes deeper. In its long-awaited moment of glory, China seems to be sabotaging itself. Fallows cites the crackdown on visa-issuance and foreign journalists, combined with the increased presence of the "Hand of the State" in Beijing, as measures that are undermining China’s goal of glory and world prestige. Perhaps "no one in a position to make these decisions understands how they’ll look to foreign eyes," Fallows hypothesizes. Or, he continues, maybe those in power have decided to sacrifice good PR for airtight control. Regardless of their intent, how much are Beijing's Olympic security measures costing China?
unquote
Any "responsible decision - makers" in the Central Government now slowly finding out what a wrong decision it was to adjust the visa regulations in this 'draconic' way ?
It was a wrong decision to do it the way they are doing it - there should be a more balanced & 'fine-tuned' regulation.
Link here for the complete article:
http://shanghaiist.com/2008/06/27/chinas_foreigners_forced_out.php
It is also worth to study the links in above post - very good one the one by James Fallows.