China's total income from the tourism industry will amount to 1.226 trillion yuan (151 billion US dollars) by the year 2010, making up 7 percent of the country's GDP, the Economic Daily said on Friday (August 19th).

It is expected to register an annual growth rate of 10 percent.

In accordance with the 11th five-year plan (2006-2010), the State Tourism Administration Director, Shao Qiwei, announced at an ongoing national tourism working conference held in Xi'an City on Thursday that China aims to receive 64 million overseas tourists by 2010, ranking the third in the world.

Foreign exchange earned by the tourism industry will top 42.6 billion US dollars, an average increase rate of 8 percent each year, also ranking the third in the world, the report said.

In addition, the administration's goal includes attracting 1.69 billion domestic tourists in the next five years and achieving 881billion yuan in income, an annual average growth rate of 11 percent.

By 2010, the industry is expected to employ directly 9.8 million people, and 49 million people indirectly, the report said.

In a bid to realize the goal, the administration will take measures to further build and perfect the industry's system and enhance service quality.

In the first six months of this year, China attracted 58.3 million overseas tourists, a year on year increase of 13.38 percent, with foreign tourists standing at 9.62 million, an increase of 28.78 percent.

The foreign exchange earnings came to 4.221 billion US dollars, a 21.41 percent rise year on year.

Editor: Wing