North China's Shanxi province, one of the country's major popular tourist destinations, registered a record high of 8.2 billion yuan (987 million US dollars) in tourism income during the first half of the year, up 142 percent from the same period in 2003, and 42 percent from the 2002 figure.

The figure includes 26.43 million dollars of foreign exchange earned from overseas tourists, who numbered 95,000.

Arrivals of domestic and overseas tourists during the six months amounted to 28.88 million, up 144 percent year-on-year, and41 percent from 2002.

Along with the rest of China, Shanxi suffered setback in tourism in 2003, due to SARS outbreak.

Since the end of 2003, the province has opened 26 new scenic spots, 30 new local tourist agencies, 27 new tourist transport units and 38 hotels.

The booming local tourism industry has helped create 5,560 new jobs.

Shanxi is renowned for several landscapes, including Mount Wutai, one of the country's four sacred mountains in Buddhism, thewell-preserved 2,000-year-old city of Pingyao and the Yungang Grottoes.

Source: Xinhua