Despite the increasing number of tourists from abroad that Beijing received in the first half of the year, the growth is slowing down.

The capital welcomed more than 2.5 million tourists from overseas - including Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan - in the first half of the year, an increase of 4.2 percent year-on-year.

However, the growth has slowed since the second quarter of the year and is expected to continue slowing down, according to the Beijing Tourism Development Committee.

"The capital will come up with more measures and policies to attract inbound tourists," Lu Yong, director of the committee, said at a meeting in Beijing on Friday.

Places of historical interest and scenic beauty have long been attractive for overseas tourists, according to the committee.

An official with the marketing office of the Badaling section of the Great Wall said that Badaling received about 320,000 overseas tourists in the first six months, up 6.7 percent over the same period of last year.

Most of the inbound tourists are from Asia, including Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan. Asian tourists make up 48.5 percent of all the people, a 1.9 percent year-on-year increase.

Next are European tourists, accounting for 25.1 percent with a year-on-year increase of 8.4 percent, and American tourists, who account for 20.5 percent of the total, according to the committee.

www.chinadaily.com.cn/cndy/2012-08/04/content_15644255.htm