The Three Gorges Dam posted a year-on-year increase of 27.3 per cent in 2011 cargo movements to 100.3m tonnes, Xinhua reported.

The site is also becoming an important visitor attraction. A record 565,000 tourists visited the city of Yichang in Hubei province during the seven-day Spring Festival holiday, said the local tourist office. Yichang is home of the Three Gorges Dam, as well as the Gezhouba Dam and Xiling Gorge.