Shaanxi province,in west China,will invest 1.6 billion yuan (US$193 million)to develop a natural sightseeing zone,the province's tourism bureau said.
The zone,to be located along the Qingling mountains,east to the province's capital Xi'an, will include a variety of natural views of west China,the bureau officials said.
They said the ambitious project is to develop new tourism sources in the province to revitalize the tourism business.
The zone will cover 48 million square kilometers,the officials said.It will include a national geological park and a national forest park,as well as an Olympic theme park,a wild life park,a wild botanic park and a horticultural expo park.
Shaanxi has been a renowned tourist resort in China featuring the country's cultural and historic heredities.The most famous scenic spots are the Museum of the Terracotta Warriors and Horses and the palaces of several emperors in China's ancient history.
( eastday.com February 26, 2002)
