China received 120 million overseas visitors last year and saw 31 million outbound travelers. The overall tourist revenue reached 768 billion yuan (US$96 billion).

Shao Qiwei, director of the China National Tourism Administration, said it at a national conference in Beijing on Thursday.

China's tourist industry gas been developing rapidly in recent years, with inbound, outbound and domestic markets growing prosperously. Among the tourism income, domestic income reached 528.6 billion yuan and international income surpassed US$29.3 billion.

Tourism has become a growing area for national economy and China has become world's important tourism nation, according to Shao.

He predicted China will host 130 million inbound travelers this year, up eight percent compared with the previous year.

(Xinhua News Agency January 22, 2006)