Travel agencies in Beijing will get efficient government support in 2009, a year that is expected to be especially tough for the travel industry due to the global economic downturn.

At a press conference held Tuesday in Beijing, Gu Xiaoyuan, deputy director of the Beijing Tourism Administration (BJTA), said the administration has established a fund of ten million yuan to reward Beijing-based travel agencies that can attract overseas investment.

The administration also encourages travel agencies to join international tourism associations. "It not only helps us learn from successful practices and be more professional, but also can make our voices from Beijing heard internationally," said Gu.