The global promotion of Southwest China's Guizhou province kicked off in Seoul on April 20 by showcasing local tourism to South Korea.

The Guizhou business delegation, headed by Kweichow Moutai and Laoganma Special Flavor Foodstuffs Company, inked contracts with Korean cities and enterprises valued at $1.1 billion, boosting cooperation in tourism, culture, trade and small towns' urbanization.

Performances demonstrating Guizhou’s multi-ethnic culture were also put on at the opening ceremony of the event.

"As an important tourism destination, Guizhou has won growing approval both at home and abroad," said Chen Min'er, Party Secretary of Guizhou province. "This year China and South Korea haves strongly enhanced cooperation in tourism, so Guizhou plans to seek more cooperative opportunities."

It is expected that the cultural and trade exchanges between the two sides will be unprecedentedly frequent with the first direct flight from Guiyang to Seoul opening on April 19, Chen added.

Edited by Peter Nordlinger