CHINA

China is the world's third most visited country in the

world. The number of overseas tourists was 55.98 million
in 2010.Foreign exchange income was 45.8 billion U.S.
dollars, the world’s fourth largest in 2010. The number of
domestic tourist visits totaled 1.61 billion, with a total
income of 777.1 billion Yuan.
According to the WTO, in 2020, China will become the
largest tourist country and the fourth largest for overseas
travel. In terms of total outbound travel spending, China
is currently ranked fifth and is expected to be the fastest
growing in the world from 2006 to 2015, jumping into the
number two slot for total travel spending by 2015
China's tourism revenue reached $185 billion in 2009
Between 1949 and 1974, the People's Republic was
closed to all but selected foreign visitors. In the late
1970s, when Deng Xiaoping decided to promote tourism
vigorously as a means of earning foreign exchange, China
started to develop its tourist industry. Major hotel
construction programs greatly increased the number of
hotels and guest houses, more historic and scenic spots
were renovated and opened to tourists, and professional
guides and other service personnel were trained. Travel
within China has become easier in recent years with the
lifting of travel controls, massive investment in
transportation facilities such as roads, railways and
airlines, and the rapid rise in incomes.
The expansion of domestic and international airline traffic
and other tourist transportation facilities made travel more
convenient. Over 250 cities and counties had been opened
to foreign visitors by the mid-1980s. Travelers needed
only valid visas or residence permits to visit 100
locations; the remaining locales required travel permits
from public security departments. In 1985 approximately
1.4 million foreigners visited China, and nearly US$1.3
billion was earned from tourism.

Shanghai
OUTBOUND TOURISM
Rising middle class incomes and a pent-up demand to see
the rest of the world will make China one of the most
significant outbound tourism markets in the coming
decade. Controls on foreign travel are being gradually
eased. Rising disposable incomes and constant exposure
to foreign countries on television have also contributed
to a surge in outward tourism. One indication of this is
the increase in the number of travel agencies, from 6,222
in 1998 to 11,552 in 2002, which has accompanied a rise
in the number of Chinese tourists going abroad from 3.2
million to 10.1 million in the same period. The proportion
of Chinese going abroad for "private purposes" rose
steadily during that time from 38.1% to 60.8%. Almost all
the growth in travel agencies has so far been in Chinese-
owned agencies, which increased from 4,910 to 10,203,
while international travel agencies in China have
remained at just over 1,300.
LANGUAGE
English
Mandarin
Renowned historic cities and old towns

 Chengdu
 Chongqing
 Dali
 Fenghuang
 Guangzhou
 Hancheng
 Huai'an
 Huanglongxi
 Jianshui
 Jinan
 Jingziguan
 Lijiang
 Lizhuang
 Luzhi
 Macao
 Nanxun
 Pingyao
 Qufu
 Shanghai & Zhujiajiao
 Shenyang
Famous sites

A section of the Great Wall of China at Jinshanling

Emei Shan in Sichuan province

Tai Shan in Shandong Province

Sunset at Sanya Bay, Hainan

TOURIST ATTRACTIONS

The most popular tourist attraction in China is the Great

Wall of China. Also popular are the Forbidden City in
Beijing, which was the center of Chinese Imperial power,
and the Terracotta Army of the Qin Dynasty Emperor's
mausoleum in Xi'an, a vast collection of full-size
terracotta statues of Chinese Imperial soldiers and others.
 The Bund, Shanghai, an elegant parade along the
Huangpu River
 Caohai Lake, Guizhou, where many experience being
punted along this shallow lake to see many of China's
varied birdlife
 Changbai Mountains, an important nature reserve home
to the rare Siberian Tiger
 Confucius Mansion, the site of this complex in Qufu,
Shandong, was home to nearly eighty generations of
the great sage's clan.
 Dazu Rock Carvings
 Forbidden City, Beijing, once the center of the 'Chinese
imperial universe' and off-limits to the masses - now
open to all
Grand Canal of China
 Guangzhou, Guangdong where the finest of the classic
Cantonese breakfast dim sum is tried
 The Hanging Temple at Mount Heng is a temple
clinging to a precipice and a series of grottoes
containing a panoply of Buddhist statuary
 Yungang Grottoes, near Datong in Shanxi is a
renowned Buddhist site.
 Hong Kong cityscape, especially the skyline of Hong
Kong Island from Tsim Sha Tsui
 Harbin International Ice and Snow Sculpture Festival,
Harbin, Heilongjiang, where extravagant and bizarre
sculptures can be seen from life-size ice castles with
rainbow lighting to fantastical snowy tableaux
 Jiuzhaigou Valley
 Leshan Giant Buddha, Sichuan the world's largest
carved Buddha
 Lijiang River,
 Longmen Grottoes, a parade of Buddhist figurines and
reliefs, near Luoyang, Henan
 Mogao Caves, these 1,000-year-old man-made caves on
the old Silk Road contain some of China's most
impressive Buddhist heritage
 Mount Emei
 Mount Everest, highest mountain on Earth
Mount HuanG