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Yunnan Province in Southwest China, a tourist attraction with colorful natural scenery and different lifestyles of 26 ethnic groups, is to step up efforts to better serve tourists with quality tourism products including tour programs and tourism commodities.

Statistics provided at the third Kunming tourism products fair, which concluded in Kunming last Friday, show that tourism has become a pillar industry of the province, which received 48.6 million domestic and foreign tourists last year with a total income of 25.7 billion yuan (US$3 billion).

However, the development of tourism resources and sales of Yunnan's tourism souvenirs are still lagging behind due to inconvenient communications and low quality.

The province's sales income of tourism souvenirs account for only 25 percent of its total tourism income, much lower than the average of 50 percent of developed countries, said a tourism official.

To further promote the tourism industry, the provincial government has decided to upgrade the local handicraft industry and help individuals involved in the trade to become more market-oriented.

Greater attention will be paid to the research, development and manufacturing of tourism commodities. Dozens of leading enterprises across the province are now engaged in the research and development of tourism commodities ranging from decorative gadgets to health food.

The province will also promote the sales of local tourism commodities, taking tour programs, tourist routes and tourism resources as commodities for marketing. Large chain stores and supermarkets from the other parts of the country and abroad will be invited to come to the province to trade in tourism commodities.

Various fairs, exhibitions and promotion activities will be held to boost the sales of local tourism commodities, the official said.