The tourism economy has grown rapidly and the position of tourist industry has become more conspicuous. In 1998, Changchun received a total of 34,000 overseas and 6.8 million domestic tourists, 42 and 146 percent higher respectively than that at the beginning of the 1990s. Foreign exchange earnings stood at us$15 million, and domestictourist income at 1.2 billion yuan, six and 12 times higher than at the beginning of the 1990s. The number of people engaged in tourism-related businesses amounted to 15,352. Changchun has listed the tourist industry in the city's Ninth Five-Year Plan and the Prospective Long-Term Program to the Year 2010 and as one of its 10 key industries in economic and social development. In the city's development target for the tertiary sector, tourism has been given priority in development as a new point spearheading local economic growth.