The temple receives over one million foreign and local visitors each year. The Shaolin complex is huge, and is quite prepared to handle such a massive flow of tourists. The temple's surrounding area has sprouted entire industries in connection to Shaolin and its visitors. Restaurants and souvenir shops abound. The streets are paved.
Shuttle buses take visitors from attraction to atrraction.
Larger, squalid buses leave every few minutes for the hours-long drive to Henan Province's larger cities. The surrounding areas boast several primary and middle schools whose student all seem to be devoted to the martial arts. The parade of tourists have positive and negative effects for the Shaolin Monks. The farmlands attached to the Shaolin monastery are tended by hired help. The Monks thus have more time and energy to devote to their religious pursuits.