China to hold B&R tourism ministerial meeting in September

BEIJING - The Belt and Road tourism ministers roundtable will be held in Chinese city of Chengdu this September, the National Tourism Administration (NTA) said Thursday.

The roundtable, jointly hosted by the NTA and the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO), will take place during the 22nd UNWTO General Assembly scheduled for Sept 11-16.

During the meeting, tourism ministers from participating countries will discuss deepening tourism cooperation among Belt and Road countries, jointly building the Silk Road tourism brand, developing tourist products and simplifying visa policies to facilitate tourism.

Since the Belt and Road Initiative was proposed in 2013, China has made major progress in promoting tourism along the Belt and Road, said Liu Shijun, NTA spokesperson.

Projects like Silk Road Tourism Year have boosted global awareness of the Silk Road tourism brand, said Liu.