2008 was a great summer for sports' fans. World records tumbled at the Beijing Olympics. Usain Bolt shattered both the 100m and 200m world records, knocking tenths of a second off each.

The Beijing Olympic Games presents China with a valuable opportunity to re-align and boost its already thriving tourism industry. According to a paper in China and World Economy published by Wiley-Blackwell, China’s inbound tourism could continue its steady growth if the industry is able shift its heavy reliance of visitors from Hong Kong and Taiwan to the burgeoning Asian markets and developed countries.