Most Beijing residents who have traveled overseas hold a bachelor degree or above, according to research results issued here Thursday about Beijing's tourism development.

The researcher, Professor Du Jiang of the Beijing Second Institute of Foreign Languages, said that his group surveyed those who have traveled overseas. The questions include gender, age, education, profession, family structure and monthly income.

About 83 percent of the surveyed travelers hold at least a bachelors' degree. Professor Du concluded that highly educated people have more earnest wish to know the outside world.

Nearly half of the surveyed are between 26 to 45 years old.

As for their motivation for traveling, most hold that they travel because they want to increase their knowledge about the world and get relaxation. Advertisements in newspapers and magazines, friends and relatives are the main sources for the travelers to get information.

According to Du, Beijing has the largest number of residents who ever traveled overseas.