The Western China Tourism Development Symposium opened Monday in this capital of northwest China's Shaanxi Province, as an important part of the International Silk Road Tourism Festival scheduled for September 4-11.

Over 40 tourism experts, entrepreneurs and government officials, and more than 300 other people from all works of life are attending the symposium, which will hold discussions on the mode of tourism development in western China, the challenges and opportunities China's tourism industry will face upon its entry to the WTO and the introduction of e-commerce into the sector.

A number of tourism promotion campaigns will be held in the ancient capital during the festival, which started a day ahead of a high-profile western China development forum.

(Xinhua 09/03/2001)