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Increase in Foreign Tourists Boosts Local Economy

A history of more than 3,000 years, a traditional folk culture and rapid modernization have made Beijing an increasingly attractive destination for international as well as domestic tourists. A record 3.10 million overseas tourists came to the Chinese capital in 2002, an 8.6 percent jump against the previous year, according to the municipal statistics bureau. The visitors spent a record 3.1 billion yuan (US$375 million), according to Beijing Star Daily.

In statistical terms, each overseas tourist stayed in Beijing for an average 4.3 days, a reflection of the city's offering of numerous attractions. Tourists from the Republic of Korea increased by 16.1 percent to 380,000 year-on-year, while the number from Japan and the United States jumped by 11.4 percent and 13 percent to reach 565,000 and 374,000 respectively. Slight decreases were recorded in the numbers of tourists from Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan.