BEIJING - Yue Zhongbin is a travel lover, yet he was surprised when he discovered that Thursday was China's first National Tourism Day.

"National Tourism Day? Never heard of it," said Yue, who works at a public institution in Northeast China's Heilongjiang province.

The National Tourism Administration of China announced last month, that starting this year, May 19 would be the annual National Tourism Day, a move aimed at arousing the public's enthusiasm for travel and promoting tourism consumption.