China received 1.7569 million foreign tourists in May this year, down 17 percent year-on-year and down 8.1 percent compared with April, according to the National Tourism Administration.

This is the first month-on-month decline in the number of inbound tourists to China this year.

Industry insiders said aside from the impact of the international financial crisis, the widespread A/H1N1 flu epidemic this year has dealt a serious blow to the international tourism industry and China has been affected as well. The drop in the number of inbound tourists in May this year is essentially in line with expectations, but how to cope with and emerge from the crisis should be researched.

http://paper.people.com.cn/rmrb/html/2009-06/26/content_282798.htm

By People's Daily Online