China's tourism and insurance watchdogs have launched a campaign to raise public awareness of the need for travel insurance and to encourage insurance firms to sell travel policies.

The China National Tourism Administration is hoping that the travel and insurance sectors will be able to offer comprehensive and competitive policies for the ever-increasing number of Chinese tourists by 2010.

An administration source said it would join with the China Insurance Regulatory Commission to ensure tourists are offered more complete policies with improved services, and to ensure tourists are aware of the necessities of travel insurance.

In the next five years, insurance companies would improve accident policies and develop new policies, as well as improve risk awareness and warnings and raise compensation levels in case of accidents.

(Xinhua News Agency July 17, 2006)