Changchun has enjoyed a comparatively rapid development of its tourist industry in the 1990s and has formed a preliminary tourism system with a coordinated development of six factors related to food, accommodation, transport, sightseeing, shopping and entertainment. The functions of the city in tourism have become increasingly conspicuous. The tourism economy has grown rapidly and the position of tourist industry has become more conspicuous. In 1998, Changchun received a total of 34,000 overseas and 6.8 million domestic tourists, 42 and 146 percent higher respectively than that at the beginning of the 1990s. Foreign exchange earnings stood at us$15 million, and domestictourist income at 1.2 billion yuan, six and 12 times higher than at the beginning of the 1990s. The number of people engaged in tourism-related businesses amounted to 15,352. Changchun has listed the tourist industry in the city's Ninth Five-Year Plan and the Prospective Long-Term Program to the Year 2010 and as one of its 10 key industries in economic and social development. In the city's development target for the tertiary sector, tourism has been given priority in development as a new point spearheading local economic growth. Tourist attractions have begun to take shape and the varieties of tourist products have increased. The city has 23 scenic sites open to tourist and has initially formed a series of high-grade and varied tourist products. Among them, the Jingyue Pool, Changchun Film City, Kalun Lake Holiday Resort, Weihuang Palace, Nanhu Park and Shuangyang Tourist Area are taking shape, receiving more than 100,000 visitors annually. Jingyue Pool is a state-level scenic resort, a national forest park and a provincial-level holiday center. The reception capability has strengthened and the quality of service has gradually improved. At the end of the 1980s, Changchun had only one star-rated hotel and four travel agencies. Currently, the city has 23 star-rated hotels, including two five-star, one four-star, 11 three-star, seven two-star and one one-star. It has 18 travel agencies, including 11 international ones and seven domestic ones. It has 22 restaurants and shops open to overseas tourists authorized by the tourist administration, and two tour coach companies to meet the needs of tourists. Tourist transport has become more convenient and communications can meet current needs. Each day, some 51 pairs of trains start from or end at the new railway station of Changchun. International and domestic scheduled flights now number 36. Four expressways, with Changchun as the hub, have been completed and urban transport has formed a network. Changchun has opened direct telephone links with more than 400 domestic cities and more than 180 countries and regions. Changchun's modern functions for tourism development have continuously been strengthened and tourist environment further improved. With the progress of building Changchun into a modernized international city and the further deepening of building it into one of China's top tourist cities, Changchun will become a standardized international city, a major tourist center of the Northeast and a distribution center of tourist. It will create a more beautiful and cleaner environment for tourists.
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