Beijing sees 23% rise in inbound tourists in 2010

According to figures released by Beijing Municipal Bureau of Statistics, the number of inbound tourists rose 22.9% year on year to 3.19 million in the first eight months of 2010, with growth exceeding 20% for six consecutive months.

In the period from January to August, the number of tourists from Hong Kong, Macau, and Taiwan was 460,000, up 4% year on year, while the number of overseas tourists was 2.73 million, up 26.8%.

In terms of tourist sources, the number of inbound tourists from the U.S., Japan and Korea accounted 36.3% of the total. Visitors from the U.S., Japan, Korea rose by 19.3%, 3.5%, 35.5% and 43% to around 445,000, 363.000 and 350,000 respectively. Analyzed by continents, visitors from Asia, Europe, America, Oceania and Africa rose 36%, 14.1%, 22.7% and 11.2% respectively.

During the same period, the number of tourists from home and abroad visiting Beijing's 198 A-Class and other major scenic spots rose to 120 million, 9.3% up from a year earlier.

Source: China Hospitality, September 16, 2010