(Xinhua)
Updated: 2008-01-18 21:33

China's tourism revenue reached 1.09 trillion yuan (US$137.92 billion) in 2007, the first time it broke the one trillion yuan mark, according to China National Tourism Administration (CNTA) statistics.

"In 2007, the overall inbound travelers reached 132 million, up 5.5 percent compared with the previous year, among which more than 54 million people stayed overnight, up 9.6 percent," said Shao Qiwei, CNTA director, at a national tourism conference held on Friday in Beijing.

"The tourism industry should grasp the chances of the country's expanding domestic demands, the hosting of Beijing Olympics in 2008 and the 2010 Shanghai Expo to facilitate the further development of Chinese tourism," said Chinese Vice Premier Wu Yi at the conference.

She added the country's tourism industry should further open to the outside world and foster its unique competitiveness.

Official statistics revealed the country's tourism industry created 500,000 job opportunities in 2007.