Total revenue in China's tourism industry is expected to grow 13 per cent to hit 1.4 trillion yuan (S$286 billion*) in 2010, as the country rolls out favourable policies to back the industry, said the China Tourism Academy in a report released Thursday.

Chinese tourists are forecast to make 2.1 billion domestic trips in the New Year, up 12 per cent from 2009, which would generate 1.1 trillion yuan of revenue for the industry, a rise of 14 per cent year on year, according to the report.

The number of inbound trips by overseas tourists would stand at 136 million, up 8 per cent from a year earlier, while outbound trips by Chinese tourists would advance 15 per cent to 5.4 billion.

The Chinese government posted guidelines last December to promote the development of the tourism industry, vowing to lower market threshold and simplify approval procedures for tourism enterprises, and encourage local authorities to attract overseas investment, opening the domestic tourism market to foreign companies.

*Exchange rate correct as at 7 January 2010