The Chinese capital of Beijing saw128,300 overseas tourists in January this year, down by 16.7 percent in comparison with the same month of last year.

Sources with the municipal bureau of statistics said arrivals by foreign nationals totaled 95,600 in January, down by 26.9 percent, while arrivals from Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan rose by various degrees to hit 32,700.

A tourism official said the drop in overseas tourists was the biggest since 1995.

Despite the rapid growth in tourist arrivals from Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan, the arrivals of foreign nationals account for 85 percent of the city's number of overseas tourists.

"So it will take some time for a full recovery in Beijing's tourism regarding overseas tourists," said the official.

(Xinhua News Agency February 29, 2004)