China quadrupled its domestic tourism income from 1994 to 2004, with the number of domestic tourists doubling that of 11 years ago, according to an official with the China National Tourism Administration (CNTA).

Liu Kezhi, director of the CNTA Tourism Promotion and International Liaison Department, made the above remarks Friday at the on-going 2005 China domestic tourism trade fair in Guilin, a popular tourist destination in southwest China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region.

Statistics from CNTA show that in 2004 Chinese people made more than 1.1 billion trips within the country, bringing 471.1 billion yuan (US$56.8 billion) revenue, 2.1 times and 4.6 times that of the 11 years ago.

Liu also said that domestic tourism has shown strong momentum in recent years and helps boost economic and social development.

Domestic tourism sprouted in the middle 1980s and got rapid development in the 1990s, especially since China adopted the system of week-long holidays three times a year beginning in 1999.

China's domestic tourism has kept stable development this year, highlighted by "Red Tourism," which promotes revolutionary history before 1949.

(Xinhua News Agency April 18, 2005)