An increasing number of tourists from home and abroad have visited west China¡’s Sichuan Province, according to the Province Tourism Bureau.

The province received 462,000 foreign tourists last year, 23.7 percent more than the previous year.

The value of tourism industry in foreign exchange reached 122 million dollars, for the first time exceeding 100 million dollars. The figure was 25.3 percent more than in 1999.

It received 54 million tourists from other places in China, 7.6 percent more from a year earlier. The value in the sector was 24.8 billion yuan, 16 percent more.

The number of visitors to various scenic spots in the province increased rapidly.

Dujiang Weirs, a famous water conservancy project built in 256 B.C. during the Qin Dynasty, received tourists of 800,000 last year, 2.5 times more than a year before.

(Eastday.com 03/27/2001)