Shanghai local government aims to raise the city's annual tourism revenue by 60 percent to 150 billion yuan (US$18billion)by 2005, Jiefang Daily reported today.

Officials with the city's Tourism Commission said that some 2.5 million overseas tourists will visit the city annually by 2005, bringing some US$2.54 billion in foreign exchange.Domestic visitors will reach 100 million,generating 136.5 billion yuan in revenue.Thus the total revenue in the tourism sector will exceed 150 billion yuan.

To achieve this aim an information center,a research center and a professional training center for the tourism industry are now under construction,officials said.The three centers will form a citywide service network with the existing consulting center and distribution center.

Cooperation with the local financial sector to create a tourism payment card to offer more convenience to tourists is now under discussion,officials said.

Thousands of electronic screens and computers enabling a free search and check of local tourism information will be added to local hotels,communities and main sightseeing areas.

The city will also cooperate more with neighboring Jiangsu and Suzhou provinces to help attract more outsiders.Tourism resources will be shared and coordinated facilities will be developed,such as joint car renting business and all-in-one tourism tickets.

Shanghai has seen fast development in its tourism industry since the early 1990s.During the first quarter of this year,the city received 5.7 percent more foreign tourists than last year and the average occupancy rate of local hotels reached 70 percent.

( eastday.com June 25, 2002)