China Steps into the "Recreation Era"

In addition, overseas tourism has boomed in recent years. More and more Chinese people are traveling abroad. During the initial stage of the 1990s, only 3 million people traveled abroad, while in 2001, the number of outbound tourists was up to a whopping 12 million. By the end of November of 2002, this number had increased to 15 million.

　　To date, Chinese people's destinations of overseas tours have expanded from Asia's Singapore, Malaysia, and Thailand to 21 countries and regions, including Europe and Africa.

　　According to a survey conducted by the China Economic Prosperity Monitoring Center, among more than 700 residents in Beijing, Shanghai, and Guangzhou , 21.6 percent of them plan to travel abroad for at least the second time if not more, while 42.2 percent plan to go on an overseas tour for the first time.

　　  Diverse Ways of Leisure

　　Consumption on fitness, movement, and knowledge already occupies the majority of urban families. An investigation of the consumption in five cities, including Shanghai, Wuhan, Beijing, Guangzhou, and Chengdu by Zero Investigation Company showed several interesting points.

　　

　　In 1995, among the urban households, each person's expenditure was 3,537.6 Yuan (US$427.34) and only 312.7 Yuan (US$37.77) were used on amusement, fitness, and education; in 2001, the average expenditure was 5,309 Yuan (US$641.32) and the consumption on amusement, fitness and education reached 690 Yuan (US$83.35). Beijing ranked first among the five cities, as its average consumption for sports and keeping fit reached 888 Yuan (US$107.27) per year.

　　People's enthusiasm in sports can be attributed to the implement of the Whole-Peop1e Health-Building Plan in 1995 and Beijing's successful bid to host the 2008 Olympic Games. Over the past several years, 1,939 physical training projects have been set up in the whole country. Some 10.2 billion Yuan (US$1.23 billion) in public welfare funding has been raised through the issuance of sports lotteries over the past eight years, with a considerable part used in the physical training program and the construction of standard and large gymnasiums and other sports facilities.