Lonely Planet, the guidebook publisher, recently named China No.1 on its annual list of hot destinations. The U.S. Tour Operators' Association billed it the best value destination. At trade shows across North America, China tour operators are descending in such force that organizers are carving out dedicated sections separate from Asia.
Number crunchers at the World Travel and Tourism Council have weighed in too, reporting that China's travel and tourism industry generated $353.7 billion in 2006, a figure that will grow to $1.3 trillion in 2016, or roughly 8.7 per cent a year on average. Last year, 499,700 Canadians traveled to China, up 16.5 per cent from the year before, according to the China National Tourist Office in Toronto. The figure makes for an impressive per capita comparison against estimates that some 900,000 Americans visit China annually. Full article here.