Chinese tourist numbers rise despite slowing economy

Tourists stretch to walk on a 69-meter-long glass pathway built along the face of a cliff in Shaohuashan national forest park in Weinan city, Northwest China's Shaanxi province, July 28, 2016.[Photo/Xinhua]

BEIJING - Despite a slowing economy, more Chinese tourists traveled last year, according to a report released by the China Tourism Academy on Monday .

Urban residents made 2.48 billion trips in the country in 2015, while those living in rural areas made 1.13 billion trips.

The largest numbers of tourists came from the five provincial-level regions of Beijing, Shanghai, Guangdong, Jiangsu and Zhejiang.

Tourist incomes were highest in Guangdong, Jiangsu, Zhejiang, Shandong and Sichuan, with combined per capita income exceeded 400 billion yuan (around $60 billion).

Eastern provinces raked in the biggest tourism revenue last year, accounting for 46.35 percent of the country's total. The northeastern region performed worst, receiving just 6.83 percent of total tourist revenue.