Tourism market booms during holidays

Despite the Spring Festival holiday nearing its end, many in China still have a lot of reasons to celebrate. The country's tourism market saw record growth in both revenues and the number of tourists. Here's a brief look at the holiday tourism market in Beijing, Shanghai and Hong Kong.

In the capital of Beijing, the total number of tourists increased by five percent year on year during the Spring Festival holiday. Total tourism revenue saw double digit growth, giving local tourism markets a good start to the year. Officials say the dramatic growth comes on the heels of a series of promotions carried out by the government. Discounts at hotels, and free entrance to some of the city's scenic spots have made local tourism markets more attractive. And temple fairs across the city saw booming business, bringing in more revenue.

In Shanghai, anticipation for the upcoming World Expo helped boost the city's tourism market. Although still more than two months away, many tourists got an early glimpse of the expo's parks. Local tourism operators and retailers also cashed in on the year of the tiger, churning products and decorations catered to this year's zodiac animal. During the holidays, the number of tourists rose by more than five percent, with revenue rising more than 10 percent.

In Hong Kong, tourist volume rose 18 percent year on year during the holidays. The Region's Tourism Board expects a five percent rise by year's end. It says it will prepare some celebrations for Hong Kong's traditional festivals to attract more guests during the off-season. The city is also expecting to see more tourists later this year, due to the Shanghai World Expo, and the Asian Games in Guangzhou.