The China National Tourist Administration (CNTA) and Visa International signed a five-year agreement here Wednesday to jointly promote tourism in China.

From January 1, 2004, they will jointly promote tourism in China internationally, including travel to the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games.

A leading corporate sponsor of the Olympics, Visa, together with the CNTA, will launch a series of marketing and promotional activities on China's attractions in return for a monopoly on payment services with the CNTA.

In 2002, more than 36.8 million tourists visited China, making it the fifth largest travel destination in the world, with tourism-related revenues of over US$20.39 billion.

According to the World Travel Organization, China will be the most frequented travel destination in the world and the fourth largest market for outbound travelers by 2020.

(Xinhua News Agency December 18, 2003)