[Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

The International Forum on Silk Road City Culture and Tourism Development and the inaugural Silk Road City Culture and Tourism Season took place successfully on Sept 24, in Kunming, Yunnan province.

The event featured a variety of activities, including the opening ceremony of the forum, the annual meeting of the Silk Road Tourism Cities Alliance, promotional presentations for Silk Road cities, live media broadcasts, and specialized discussions on the integration of culture and tourism.

Notable attendees included Wang Hao, vice-governor of Yunnan province, Francesco Frangialli, former UNWTO secretary-general and officials from various Silk Road cities. New member cities were officially welcomed into the Alliance, and significant contributions were recognized, particularly for Jingdezhen and Istanbul, along with Kunming being named the chair city for 2024-2025.

Wang highlighted the Alliance's achievements in fostering international tourism exchanges and emphasized Yunnan's commitment to high-quality tourism development aligned with the Belt and Road Initiative. Zhang Jianping from the Ministry of Culture and Tourism noted the Alliance's crucial role in promoting cultural exchange and cooperation among member cities.

Frangali urged the tourism sector to contribute to cross-cultural dialogue and global peace, continuing the ancient Silk Road's legacy. In subsequent discussions, participants explored pathways for empowering urban tourism through new productivity and the intersection of economic globalization with cultural diversity.

The Silk Road Tourism Cities Alliance was launched in 2023 to enhance cultural exchanges and foster collaborative tourism development among prominent cities along the historic trade route.

Wang Hao, vice-governor of Yunnan province, delivers a speech at the event.[Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

Zhang Jianping from the Ministry of Culture and Tourism delivers a speech at the event.[Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

Francesco Frangialli, former UNWTO secretary-general, urged the tourism sector to contribute to cross-cultural dialogue and global peace, continuing the ancient Silk Road's legacy.[Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

Promotional presentations for Silk Road cities is also part of the event.[Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]