Tourists to scenic spots in central and western China may find it easier to get to their destinations as more nonstop trains and charter flights will be available for them this year, industry sources said here Friday.

More than 620 nonstop trains and over 1,400 charter flights are expected to serve tourists this year, said the sources with a national fair on tourist trains and charter flights, which opened here Thursday.

The move would help attract more tourists to the scenic spots while reducing the transport costs for them, said Li Guangjun, a tourism promotion official from the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region.

It will also help create more job opportunities for local farmers, he added.

Local governments in central and western China have been encouraging travel agencies to arrange chartered planes and special trains for tourists. Measures include giving bonus to travel agencies bringing tourist groups to the localities.

A nationwide travel surge is expected in the upcoming Spring Festival, or China`s lunar New Year, which falls on Jan. 29 this year. The number of people to travel by railway during the week-long holiday is predicted to reach 144 million, while the number of people travel by air would amount to 15 million, according to the State Development and Reform Commission.