THE number of holidaymakers traveling across China is expected to boom when the week-long National Day holiday period begins today.

　　The National Tourism Administration estimates that 2.2 million people will go to Beijing, the Chinese capital, during the holiday period, 10 percent more than last year.

　　The Palace Museum, one of the best known tourist attractions in Beijing, has worked out a plan to satisfy the needs of visitors, including earlier opening times and expanding the daily maximum reception to 120,000 people.

　　The Beijing Railway Bureau is dispatching 80 additional trains running 40 routes to other large Chinese cities or scenic spots until Oct. 7.

　　A railway official estimated the number of rail travelers, either for home-visiting or sightseeing, at 35.1 million during the holiday period.

　　The Ministry of Railways said the peak traveling day looks set to be today, the National Day, when 3.8 million passengers are expected to take to the trains.

　　Beijing, Kunming and Xiamen cities, Hainan Province and Jiuzhaigou scenic spot in Guizhou Province continue to be the top tourist destinations.

　　Civil aviation departments in East China organized 1,700 additional chartered flights during the holiday period, 400 more than that for the May 1 holiday period.

　　(Xinhua)

　　Numbers of travelers nationwide during National Day holidays.

　　2000       55 million

　　2001       64 million

　　2002       unknown