Chinanews, Beijing, March 20 – In MasterCard's recent report on tourism in China, it is estimated that some 17.24 million Chinese might travel abroad in the first half of 2007, a 12% growth.

 

If MasterCard's estimation becomes true, China's outbound tourism will be the fastest-growing one in Asia.

 

However, the growth rate of outbound tourism of the whole Asian-Pacific area in the first half of 2007 will only be a little less than 8%, even slower than last year, especially in Hong Kong, South Korea and Malaysia.

 

Hong Kong's outbound tourism grew by 15% in the second half of 2006, but it is estimated that its growth in the first half of 2007 will only be 4.5%. The figures of South Korea and Malaysia will be from 9% to 3.6% and from 12.5% to 7.8% respectively.

 

Chinese tourists’ favorite destination in the Asian-Pacific area of is Australia, as 20% of the responders say so in the survey conducted by MasterCard, with Hong Kong, Japan, South Korea, Singapore, Malaysia and New Zealand coming next. Europe and Canada are their first choice out of the Asian-Pacific area, and more than 30% of the responders wish to visit Europe in the near future.