The Third Sichuan International Travel Expo, slated to take place from September 22 to 28 in Emeishan City, Leshan of Sichuan, will center on the theme of “Open and Cooperative Travel Trade to Boost the Development of the Silk Road Economic Belt.”

The expo, which is designed to increase travel trade, enhance intra-industry exchanges and better promote travel products and services, will be attended by high-ranking officials from Asian and European tourism organizations, prestigious experts from both home and abroad, and helmsmen of leading travel companies.

This year, the expo has an exhibition and trade area of 66000 square meters.

Unlike the previous two sessions, this year’s exhibition area is divided into four distinct sections for business talks, exhibition and promotion, display of tourism commodities and outdoor experiences respectively.

The exhibition and promotion section is comprised of four themed pavilions: Sichuan Pavilion, Belt and Road Pavilion, Travel Plus Pavilion and Mountain Tourism Pavilion and features B2B and B2C models.

The outdoor experience section is also a new feature of the expo, where visiting enterprises, tourists and local citizens can experience outdoor tourism amenities, participate in the making of tourism products and local gourmet food, and get to know more about mountain tourism.

Another highlight of the expo will be a summit forum during which domestic and foreign big shots in the tourism industry will discuss how to develop region-based tourism and build international tourist destinations and a number of tourism projects will be signed.

Buddhist tourist destinations, mountain tourism of Leshan and the cultivation of tourism professionals will be discussed at the summit forum’s three sub-forums.

Participants to the forums are expected to contribute their wisdom to Leshan’s bid to develop itself into an international tourist destination.

Apart from the main venue,?the expo?also has a branch venue in Huangwan Town, a tourist resort in Emeishan City. A series of activities like trying gourmet food and watching intangible cultural heritages will be carried out here.

Another addition of this year’s session is the publicity weeks for the Guest Country of Honor Thailand and the featured city Meishan.

The 2016 Emeishan International Mountain Climbing Festival and the Sichuan Emeishan Buddhism-themed Music Festival will take place concurrently as supporting activities.