Shanghai hopes to double its number of foreign tourists who pay a visit to Shanghai within the next five years by developing more industrial, agricultural and scientific tourism programs, local tourism administration officials revealed over the weekend.

 

By the end of 2010, the city expects to host 11 million foreign tourists a year, generating US$8.7 billion. The number of Chinese tourists visiting the city is expected to hit 120 million a year by the end of 2010.

 

About 5.71 million foreign tourists made a stop in Shanghai last year, spending US$3.6 billion in the city.

 

"The city's tourism industry is sailing into a period of torrid development, which will finally build Shanghai into a popular international tourism destination," said Zhu Chengrong, vice director of the Shanghai Tourism Administrative Commission.

 

About 75,000 people took part in the 2006 China International Travel Mart, which wrapped up yesterday.

 

Noel Irwin Hentschel, chairman and CEO of Americantours International LLC, confirmed that her company will open its first overseas office in Beijing early next year.

 

(Shanghai Daily November 20, 2006)