Tourists visiting a famous scenic island in Fujian province may have to buy a ticket before they can set foot on the island if a proposal is approved, West Strait Morning Post reported on Thursday.

The proposal, put forward by the management committee of Gulangyu Island in Xiamen city, is aimed at regulating the number of tourists to the island, according to Liang Yixin, an official of the committee.

If approved by the Xiamen and Fujian provincial government, a specific number of tickets for ferry and scenic spots on the 1.87-square-km island will be sold every day to limit the number of tourists, he said.

Tourists must buy a ticket for at least one of the major scenic spots on the island before they can take a ferry bound for the island.

Currently, all tourists can visit the island after buying a ferry ticket.

The island, famous for its European-style architecture, is separated from Xiamen by the Lujiang River.