Reflecting on over 20 years’ of work developing tourism on the Silk Road, the 7th UNWTO International Meeting on Silk Road Tourism was held in Xi’an China at the Wyndham Grand Xian South Hotel. Bringing together senior officials and experts in the fields of tourism, heritage management, marketing and development, this meeting was jointly organized by UNWTO, China National Tourism Administration (CNTA) and the People’s Government of Shaanxi Province. An integral part of the event programme was the 1st Tourism Ministerial Meeting of Countries along the Silk Road Economic Belt. This milestone event brought together Ministers from Europe, Asia and the Middle East to discuss key issues facing tourism development along the Silk Road Economic Belt. Scroll down for some impressions.
Objectives of the 7th UNWTO International Meeting on Silk Road Tourism.
The 7th UNWTO International Meeting on Silk Road Tourism has seen experts in the fields of tourism, marketing, investment and heritage management to discuss how to raise the profile of Silk Road tourism and drive development that is sustainable, responsible and internationally competitive. The Meeting also looks at how stakeholders can leverage from the Silk Road’s positioning and help rebuild the world’s most important travel route.

Topics addressed at the Meeting include:
World tourism trends and outlook for the Silk Road region
Creating a stronger environment for business growth and investment
Transboundary routes across the Silk Road regions, as recently discussed at the 5th UNWTO Silk Road Ministers’ Meeting at ITB Berlin 2015
Developing and enhancing Silk Road products
Facilitating travel to strengthen the Silk Road’s extensive network of destinations
Addressing environmental concerns and safeguarding heritage.

Some impressions: