China's State Council, or the Cabinet, posted guidelines promoting the development of tourism industry over the next five years on its website Thursday.

As of 2015, domestic tourists are projected to top 3.3 billion with an annual average growth of 10 percent in the next five years, and outbound tourists will reach 83 million with an annual increase of 9 percent, said the guidelines.

Tourism industry is expected to create around 500,000 new jobs annually, and its annual revenue will grow by 12 percent, the document said.

The industry is to account for 4.5 percent of the country's gross domestic product (GDP) by 2015, it said.

Government departments are required to lower market threshold and simplify approval procedures for tourism enterprises, supporting the development of small and medium-sized ones.

The guidelines also encouraged local authorities to introduce overseas investment, opening the domestic tourism market to foreign companies.

(Xinhua, December 4, 2009 )