Switzerland is now drafting laws in order to issue Schengen visas to Chinese tourists as soon as possible, said Juerg Schmid, director of the Switzerland Tourism Board.

Since Switzerland became a tourism destination for Chinese citizens last September, the number of Chinese tourists to Switzerland increased over 100 percent and reached 120,000 last year. Due to the fast growing market potential, Switzerland Tourism plans to increase investment in China.

He said Swiss citizens approved the Schengen agreement early this month and the legislation administration is now pushing the federal government to allow tourists to visit the nation with Schengen visas before 2008.

Switzerland was the first European nation to establish a tourism office in China, back in 1998. The tourism board held the Asian regional meeting in Beijing for the first time two days ago. Schmid said this showed China's strategic importance in Swiss tourism development in the next few years.

Editor: Wing