BEIJING - Up to 80 Chinese scenic spots, including parks, museums, and relics sites, have lowered the prices for admission tickets by 37 percent on average ahead of an upcoming eight-day holiday that starts on September 30, the country's top economic planner has said.

Of the total, 13 sites in provinces including Jiangsu, Guangdong and Zhejiang have offered free tickets to tourists, according to a statement on the website of the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC).

The NDRC statement said that around 100 tourist sites will join them soon.

It said that the move aims to help the public better enjoy the National Day holiday and the Mid-Autumn Festival. The government announced earlier that small passenger cars (with less than 7 seats) will be exempted from expressway tolls during the 8-day holiday.