Southern China's Guangdong Province has given travel coupons to farmers who want to see more of their country, and tours are scheduled to begin next Tuesday, the provincial tourism bureau said on Friday.

The coupons will provide discounts of at least 13 percent on airfares and hotels, said Zheng Nianjun, deputy general manager of the Nanhu Lake Travel Agency. The provincial government will pay the discounted amount.

Guangdong's tourism bureau said it prepared 200,000 coupons, but did not provide figures on how many were distributed or the total value.

With a coupon, a farmer could pay 899 yuan (about US$128) for a six-day, all-inclusive tour of five cities in east China, saving nearly 200 yuan.

"Farmers will travel if the price is low enough and the itinerary is attractive," said Zheng.

Zheng said his agency chose Beijing and some eastern cities for the tours. The routes would be adjusted after getting traveler feedback.

The travel coupons are the first of their kind offered in China, although other cities have offered coupons to residents for other purposes.

For example, quake-hit Chengdu in the southwest and the eastern city of Hangzhou last month gave low-income residents coupons for shopping and entertainment.

These programs are part of a larger national effort to boost domestic consumption in response to the impact of the global economic downturn.

(Xinhua News Agency February 20, 2009)