China ranked fourth in travel money spent

MADRID, Spain - China overtook France to occupy fourth place last year in the ranking of the world's top spenders on international tourism, the United Nations World Tourism Organization said on Wednesday.

Chinese tourists splashed out $43.7 billion (298 billion yuan) on their travels abroad in 2009 despite the economic downturn, propping up other economies by eating out, occupying hotel rooms, shopping and visiting attractions, it said in its latest bulletin.

That compares to $36.2 billion in the previous year when China was the world's fifth largest source of tourism spending.