BEIJING - Recently issued statistics indicate that the tourism and agriculture-related leisure industries of China's rural areas have helped to create 15 million jobs for farmers.

More than 600 million tourists had visited China's rural areas as of the end of 2011, according to data released Thursday by the National Tourism Administration (NTA).

The NTA said in a statement that the tourism industry has boosted the incomes of rural farmers, as well as helped to extend and protect local culture.

The statement said the development of rural tourism has encouraged many urbanites to vacation in the countryside, as well as created a large market for consumption, with many local regions issuing policies to promote the sector's growth.