From August 1, all overseas tour groups to southwest China's Yunnan Province were requested by local authorities to report their detailed tourists information and tour schedules 24 hours before their entry.

The tour groups were also required by the province's Exit and Entry Administration to fill out a registration form.

The move attempted to help strengthen the security work of Beijing Olympics which opens on August 8, local authorities said.

Yunnan boasts some world-renowned resorts, including Dali, Lijiang and Shangri-la. The province attracts about 50,000 overseas tour groups annually.

(Xinhua News Agency August 4, 2008)