China's tourism industry is expected to notch up a new record with the revenue hitting one trillion yuan this year, up ten percent from 2006, Shao Qiwei, director of the National Tourism Administration, said Thursday.

 

China will receive 129 million inbound visitors from overseas in 2007, five million more than that last year. The number of tourists who will spend at least one night in China is expected to jump to 53.6 million including 24 million foreign visitors, said Shao at a national tourism meeting held in Jinan, capital city of east China's Shandong Province.

 

The total revenue of foreign currency will reach US$37 billion, an increase of ten percent, he said.

 

Domestic tourists are projected to take 1.5 billion trips across the country, up eight percent, contributing 682 billion yuan of revenue, ten percent more than last year.

 

Chinese will make 37.4 million travels outside the mainland, up 10 percent from a year ago, he said.

 

The Chinese government has been encouraging the development of tourism to stimulate stagnant domestic consumption.

 

The director urged local authorities to improve service quality and map out effective policies to support the industry's development.

 

He said the administration will step up measures to improve management during the Golden Week holidays and work out policies on paid leave system.

 

China earned US$33.5 billion from tourism last year, making the country the sixth highest tourism revenue earner globally.

 

(Xinhua News Agency January 19, 2007)