A total of 36,709 Shanghai tourists went to Macao in the first ten months of this year, accounting for more than 40 percent of the overseas travels of Shanghai people.

On the eve of Macao's return to the motherland, Macao has become a hot tourist destination for Shanghai people. The number of Shanghai tourists to Macao has been on the increase over the past few weeks.

Meanwhile, the picturesque scenery of Macao has made it a first- choice spot for Shanghai people looking for a place to welcome in the new century. Shanghai's travel agencies have been busy arranging tourist groups to Macao on December 30 and 31, according to a local source.

The Shanghai branches of China International Travel Service and China Travel Service now have a number of regular tourist itineraries from Shanghai to Macao, the source said.