ThetouristarrivalsnationwidefromOctober1to7jumpedby11.5percentoverthesameperiodlastyear,withtheirspendingup13.1percent,theNationalTourismAdministrationannouncedWednesday.

Themassmovementbrought34.6billionyuan(US$4.2billion)worthofincometoshops,restaurants,hotels,scenicspotsandvariousbusinessesrelatedtothetouristindustry,whichwerehithardbytheoutbreakofSARS(severeacutere

TheweeklongNationalDayholidayhaswitnessedsome90milliontouriststravellingacrossthecountry,arecordhighsincethefirst"GoldenWeek''holidayin2000.

NationalDayHoliday'Golden'forTourismIndustry

EmbracedwidelybyChineseasameanstoexpresstheirloveandrespectforthemotherland,flag-raisingceremonieswillalsobeheldinmanyotherplacesacrossChina.

OnthemorningofNationalDayinBeijing,severalthousandresidentsandtravelersfromotherprovincesareexpectedtowitnessaflag-raisingceremonyinTiananmenSquare.

Theteam,whichwassetupin2002,nowhas86memberswhohaveundergonestrictprofessionaltraining.

Theceremonywillbeperformedbyanationalflagguardunderthelocalarmedpolicecontingent.

About1,000peoplefromdifferentwalksoflifeinShenzhenhavebeenorganizedtoattendtheceremony,hesaid.

Itwillbethelargestflag-raisingceremonyinthehistoryofShenzhen,anditwillbethefirsttimecitizenswillbeallowedtocloselywitnessthescene,agovernmentofficialsaid.

Thenationalanthemwillbeplayedasthefive-starrednationalflagisraisedat7:30a.m.,markingthe55thanniversaryofthefoundingofthePeople’sRepublicofChina.

AGRANDflag-raisingceremonywouldbeheldatthesquareinfrontoftheCitizens’CenteronthemorningofOct.1tocelebrateChina’sNationalDay,agovernmentsourcesaid.

Aswell,140restaurantenterprisesreported220millionyuan(US$26.5million)worthofincome,up17.1percent,accordingtotheadministration.(People'sDaily)

Figuresfrom136majorretailersin31keytouristcitiesacrossthecountryrevealedthat2.96billionyuan(US$357million)insalesvolumewasgeneratedduringtheGoldenWeek,up18.9percentyearonyear.

Thegainisalsoanall-timehighsincetheStateauthoritybegantolaunchweeklongholidays,knownasGoldenWeek,intheInternationalDayofLabourinMayandtheNationalDayinOctobereveryyearsince2000.

Aircarriershavebenefittedgreatlyfromthetravelboom,with1.65billionyuan(US$200million)involumereportedduringtheweek,up29.9percentyearonyear.Therailwaysalsotookapleasingsharewithover1billionyuan(US$128mi

RaisingflagonNationalDay