The tourism industry earned Yn496bn in revenue last year, up 9.8 per cent on 2000, reported People’s Daily. A director of the National Tourism Administration, He Guangwei, predicted that tourist revenue would climb 8 per cent this year.
The number of overseas tourists who visited China in 2001 rose 4.2 per cent year-on-year to 87m, while their spending was up by 7.9 per cent to stand at US$17.5bn.
South Africa has become the 17th country to be awarded approved destination status by the Chinese government. The move enables designated travel agents to perform direct destination marketing in China.