Chinese tourists make more trips overseas

The number of Chinese people traveling overseas last year surged, thanks to economic growth and the strong yuan, according to data released Friday. In 2013, Chinese tourists made a total of 98.2 million trips overseas, climbing 18 percent from a year earlier, according to the National Tourism Administration (NTA). Domestic trips rose 10.3 percent to 3.26 billion, while trips in China by foreign tourists declined 2.5 percent year on year to 129 million, the NTA said. Total tourism revenue rose 14 percent to 2.95 trillion yuan (about 480 billion U.S. dollars). The authority did not specify any reasons behind the rise in overseas travel, but a report earlier this month by the China Tourism Academy offered some clues. The report forecast an increase in overseas trips due to China's relatively strong economic growth, the appreciation of the yuan and the rising attractiveness of surrounding countries and regions to tourists. China's economy expanded by 7.7 percent in the first three quarters last year and full-year GDP figures will be released on Jan. 20. The central parity rate of yuan against the U.S. dollar appreciated by 3.09 percent in 2013 to 6.0969 at the end of the year, according to central bank data.