旅游业是可持续增长驱动力

The conference, themed "promoting world peace and development via tourism", has brought together nearly a thousand people from over 100 different countries and organizations to discuss the development of the global tourism industry.

Chinese Primier Li Keqiang has addressed the opening ceremony, suggesting tourism is a driving force in creating sustainable economic development.

"Last year, 4 billion tourist trips were made in China. Spending while traveling accounted for - on average - 10 percent of household spending last year. Tourism revenues have reached 4 trillion yuan. In recent years, the Chinese government has rolled-out a new Tourism Law as well as guidelines for National Tourism and Leisure, creating policies to favor tourism development. Our hope is to turn the tourism industry into a strategic pillar for our national economy and a modern service industry that can satisfy the needs of people in this era of mass travel."

As one of the largest tourist markets in the world, Premier Li Keqiang says countries around the world might want to listen to what China has to say when it comes to promoting tourism.

"China is advocating cooperation in international tourism. We want to create a tourist environment that is more convenient for people. As such, we feel all countries should be relaxing their visa restrictions, simplifying procedures for entering their country, opening direct air flights, and providing better services for traveling and shopping."

This year's conference in Beijing is also expected to endorse the "2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development" drafted by the United Nations last year.

While not attending the opening session himself, UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has delivered a messsage through his Under-Secretary General Wu Hongbo.

"I thank the People's Republic of China for hosting this conference with the world tourism organization. This is the first high level intellectual meeting on tourism and the 2030 agenda for sustainable development. The universal, integrative and transformative agenda aims to spur discussions that will end poverty and build a more sustainable world over the next 15 years."

This year's event in Beijing will also see tourism ministers from G20 countries sitting down together to hammer out ideas to be presented to the forthcoming G20 leaders summit in Hangzhou in September.