Latest information from the National Tourism Administration (NTA) indicate that China's tourist industry, which was hard hit by the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome epidemic, experienced further recovery in August.

Statistics released by the administration show that more than 8.8 million foreign tourists visited China in August, getting close to last year's level for the same month and 14 percent higher than that of July.

The entire tourist industry brought in foreign exchange income totaling over US$1.7 billion in August, down 7.7 percent from the corresponding month last year and up 21 percent from that of July.

From January to August, more than 57.9 million foreign tourists visited China, down by 9.8 percent year-on-year. The accumulated foreign exchange income reached about US$10.5 billion, down by 20.6 percent year-on-year.

Among China's 15 major sources of tourists, Russia, the Philippines and Mongolia saw respective increases in the number of tourists to China in August, others, however, all witnessed minus growth.

From January to August, only the number of tourists from Russia increased, and the rest all witnessed double digit minus growth.

(Xinhua News Agency October 2, 2003)