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Shenzhen, China's first special economic zone designed to pilot the country's reform and opening-up drive, will pour five billion yuan (about US$ 602 million) into building a number of new tourist facilities during the 2001-2005 period.

Chi Xiongbiao, director of Shenzhen City Tourism Administration,explained that the decision was made to improve the city's tourist appeal.

Tourism fixed assets in the city have now reached 20 billion yuan (about US$ 2.41 billion). And the tourism industry contributes 30 percent to the revenues from the city's service trade.

Shenzhen, of Guangdong Province in south China, played host to over 46 million tourists last year, including 20.85 million from overseas, and its total tourism revenues rose 6.11 percent to hit 32 billion yuan (about US$ 3.86 billion).

This year, Shenzhen will hold more tourism promotion activities in Hong Kong and in countries including Germany and Japan in order to attract more overseas tourists, said Chi.

The official revealed that the city would make experiment by starting up one or two Sino-foreign joint-venture travel agencies to introduce advanced international management expertise and expand sources of overseas tourists.