Yunnan Tourism Industry Reports Good GrowthYunnan Province in southwest China received 19.8 million domestic tourists in the January-June period this year, up 9 percent from the same period last year, with tourism income standing at 8.8 billion yuan, an increase of 14 percent.Although the number of overseas visitors to Yunnan dropped by 14 percent to 410,000, foreign exchange from the tourism sector reached 10 billion yuan, two times that of the corresponding period last year, according to the provincial tourism bureau. Tourism industry has reported a rapid growth in Yunnan since Kunming, the capital city, successfully hosted the '99 World Horticultural Exposition from May to October last year, which attracted 10 million Chinese and foreign visitors. The bureau attributed the rapid development of tourism industry to Yunnan's various activities and the country's long holidays during the Spring Festival, May Day and the summer vacations. From April 10 to May 10, some 5.55 million Chinese and overseas people visited Yunnan, with tourism income standing at 100 million yuan a day. The province plans to attract one million overseas visitors and 35 million Chinese this year. Tourism income will surge to 20 billion yuan. |
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