THE number of prime ''Category A'' travel agencies in China jumped from 73 in 1991 to 160 at the end of 1992, with many new agencies opening, and some moving up from Category B. The overall total increased from 1,561 in 1991 to 1,860 at the end of 1992.
Category A (sometimes termed ''Grade A'' or ''first category'') agencies can negotiate business with foreign tour operators directly and handle foreign visitors, overseas Chinese, and ''compatriots'' - China's term for ethnic Chinese living in Hongkong, Macau and Taiwan.
According to the regulations, other categories (B and C) cannot work directly with overseas companies, although these restrictions are being widely ignored in the current drive for growth.
EXPECT more of a squeeze in Shanghai, as relief from the opening of a new airport terminal at the end of 1992 may be short-lived.
On expansion levels of around 30 per cent being achieved this year, the new capacity of the airport, put at seven million, will be surpassed this year. AS CHINA'S outbound travel potential increases, so does the number of special air fares from secondarypoints in the country.
Three official fares have just been introduced. They are excursion fares from the north to eastern Russia, Harbin-Khabarovsk and Shenyang-Irkutsk, and Kunming-Vientiane in Laos. THE 553-room Shangri-La hotel in Shenzhen, which opened only in 1992, is running a summer discount rate until the end of August.