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China tourism promoted in Sydney

(Xinhua)
Updated: 2011-06-23 09:19

SYDNEY -- China's marvellous tourist attractions were introduced to the Australians when the China Tourism Night was held in Sydney on Wednesday.

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During the boat tour in the Sydney harbor, Zhang Xilong, Deputy Director-General of the Department of Tourism Promotion and International Liaison of China National Tourism Administration, told the local travel services and tourism officials that despite the rapid growth of Australian visitors to China, there is still a huge potential to develop.

He said that tourism in China has been the most lively industry and an important contributor to the national economy in the past three decades.

"As the Chinese saying goes, seeing is believing. I strongly encourage more Australian people to visit China so that you can understand more about China, the fast growing country in Asia," said Duan Jielong, Consu-General of China in Sydney.

In 2010, the total number of Australians visiting China reached 661,000, 17.8 percent higher than 2009, while the number of Chinese tourists to Australia stood at 454,000, up 23.9 percent.