Zhu Shanzhong, director of the marketing and communications department of the China National Tourism Administration, said in Shanghai that CNTA has proposed a national leisure program to encourage more Chinese citizens to participate in domestic tours and to promote the Chinese tourism market. The latest statistics indicate that in 2007, China's total tourism revenue was USD150 [...]

- The city of Beijing recorded a lower economic growth than the national average during the first three quarters of 2008, a report of the Municipal Statistics Bureau revealed. The city's total output stood at RMB758.63 bn, up 9.1 per cent. The national average was up 9.9 per cent. - Geologists have discovered 1,202 mineral fields since 2006. These fields could "greatly reduce the country's dependence on imported minerals", the Ministry of Land and Resources said in a statement. - The number of visits to China dropped in September year-on-year, state media reports. New figures from the China National Tourism Administration shows that the number of inbound travels decreased 5.94 per cent to 10.56 million. Reasons singled out for the decline: Higher hotel prices, fewer visas granted and the global financial crisis. - Revenue from inbound tourism from January to September decreased 3.26 ...