Dalian, the scenic coastal city in northeast China's Liaoning Province, witnessed a boom in tourism in the first half of this year.

According to official statistics, the city received 216,000 overseas visitors in the first six months, up 12.9 percent over the same period last year. Earnings from overseas tourist arrivals reached 145 million US dollars, up 11.5 percent.

Domestic tourist arrivals reached 6.5 million and revenue from this totaled 6 billion yuan (723 million dollars) in this period.

To further advance its tourist industry, the city has launched a new round of investment initiatives.

( Xinhua News Agency July 12, 2002)