Tourist arrivals in Macao by group soared a year-on-year 48 percent in the first half of this year, rising on the bulky increase of tourists from China's inland.

The Statistics and Census Services announced Wednesday that the Special Administrative Region (SAR) had 1.08 million group tourists in the six months.

In June, 84,700 inland tourists visited Macao, jumping 24.8 percent from a year earlier and bringing the total for Macao to 137,500. Other major tourist sources for the city include Taiwan, Japan and Hong Kong.

On the other hand, 20,000 Macao residents out of a total population of roughly 440,000 traveled overseas in June, choosing destinations such as the Chinese mainland, Taiwan and Hong Kong.

According to the agency, Macao's hotels have also improved business so far this year with three-star ones recording the best performance.

( People's Daily August 7, 2002)