Luo Shugang, China's minister of culture and tourism, delivers a keynote speech during the opening ceremony of the fourth Silk Road (Dunhuang) International Cultural Expo and the ninth Dunhuang Tour-Silk Road International Tourism Festival held in Hezuo city, capital of Gannan Tibetan autonomous prefecture in Northwest China's Gansu province, on Tuesday.[Photo provided to Chinaculture.org]

With "Prosperity over poverty: Culture and Tourism for New Vitality of Silk Road" as its theme, the fourth Silk Road (Dunhuang) International Cultural Expo and the ninth Dunhuang Tour-Silk Road International Tourism Festival were unveiled in Hezuo city, capital of Gannan Tibetan autonomous prefecture in Northwest China's Gansu province, on Tuesday.

A total number of 800 guests from over 30 countries, including Luo Shugang, China's minister of culture and tourism; Tserenbat Namsrai, minister of the Ministry of Environment and Tourism of Mongolia; and Zhu Shanzhong, executive director of The United Nations World Tourism Organization, attended the opening ceremony.

Luo Shugang, China's minister of culture and tourism, delivered a keynote speech and pointed out that due to joint efforts made by various parties, positive results have been seen in the cultural and tourism exchanges and cooperation among the countries involved in the Belt and Road Initiative, with the vision turning into reality, said Luo.

[Photo provided to Chinaculture.org]

He said that high quality development in the cultural and tourism industry can only be achieved through deep integration, and the two sectors can prosper together if culture, which has high added value, and the authentic experience of tourism are effectively combined. Luo added that we should focus on openness, inclusiveness and mutual learning. Only through dialogues among different civilizations can we achieve a deeper understanding of each other, said Luo.

Tserenbat Namsrai, minister of the Ministry of Environment and Tourism of Mongolia, attended the event and expressed his wishes to strengthen bilateral tourism cooperation.

Delivering a keynote speech at the opening ceremony, Tserenbat Namsrai underlined that the core of building a close and mutually-beneficial cooperation relationship should be fully respecting the originality of local culture and protecting the tangible and intangible cultural heritage, as well as preserving traditional values of local community, said the minister.

He further emphasized that in order to attract more international visitors, Mongolia is striving to upgrade its tourism industry, specific measures including improving infrastructure and enhancing the quality of service in the tourism industry. "Tourism can offer opportunities for people to share and communicate", said the minister.

[Photo provided to Chinaculture.org]

China's Gansu province doesn't only boast a wide range of natural wonders, but is also renowned for its rich diversity of historical and cultural heritage. As a major stopover on the ancient Silk Road, Gansu witnessed the convergence of various cultures and has inherited a spirit of inclusiveness from the ancient trade route.

In recent years, Gansu province has achieved a rapid development in its cultural and tourism sector through fully utilizing its geographical advantage and grasping the opportunity brought by the Belt and Road Initiative. Important platforms such as the Silk Road (Dunhuang) International Cultural Expo have become vital pillars in facilitating local tourism.

According to Luo Shugang, China's minister of culture and tourism, since last year, the annual growth rate of both the number of tourist arrivals and tourism revenue in Gansu province has exceeded 25 percent, testifying to its robust development in tourism.

The fourth Silk Road (Dunhuang) International Cultural Expo and the ninth Dunhuang Tour-Silk Road International Tourism Festival will run for 40 days and closes on September 5. Over 30 cultural activities will be held across 14 cities in Gansu province.