Europe is the favorite destination of Chinese tourists and 35 percent of people surveyed want to visit, according to the latest MasterIndex of Travel, published by MasterCard Worldwide recently. Australia, Hong Kong and Canada were the second, third and fourth most desirable travel destinations. It is estimated that about 19 million Chinese will travel abroad in the second half of 2006.

The index also indicates that safety is the biggest concern of Chinese tourists, and language and communication barriers worry 37 percent of them. When they go shopping, 71 percent of Chinese tourists first choose souvenirs, then clothes, food and luxury goods.

By People's Daily Online