BEIJING, Feb. 19 (Xinhua) -- Under the impact of the COVID-19 epidemic, China saw 2.88 billion domestic trips made by tourists in 2020, a slump of 52.1 percent year on year, according to the Ministry of Culture and Tourism.

Tourists visit the Yellow Crane Tower in Wuhan, central China's Hubei Province, April 29, 2020. (Photo: Xinhua)

The data show a gradual recovery in the sector as the epidemic situation eases. The number of domestic trips surged from 295 million in the first quarter to 946 million in the fourth quarter.

China saw its domestic tourism revenue hit 2.23 trillion yuan (about 345 billion U.S. dollars) in 2020, a year-on-year decrease of 61 percent, according to the ministry.

As of Thursday, the Chinese mainland had reported a total of 89,816 confirmed COVID-19 cases, 84,696 of whom had been discharged following recovery, according to the National Health Commission.