The China International Travel Mart 2003 (CITM) opened Thursday in Kunming, Yunnan Province, aiming at promoting exchanges and cooperation between China's tourism industry and overseas counterparts.

China's Vice Premier Wu Yi said at the opening ceremony that as a vital industry with huge potential, tourism plays an active role in promoting economic growth, social prosperity, maintaining world peace and development and promoting mutual understanding and friendship among different peoples.

She said tourism has become a new industry with high potential in China as well as a growth point in the national economy. In some areas, it even became the pillar industry of local economy.

Tourism has played a more and more important role in helping stimulate domestic demand, increase foreign currency income, improve industrial structure and alleviate poverty, Wu said, noting that tourism has also enhanced the friendly exchanges between China and the world.

She said that in the promising 21st century, China will adopt a more open approach in enhancing the ties with the outside world and the world will pay more attention to China with more expectant eyes.

CITM is an important window for China to demonstrate the new appearance of its tourism industry and also provides an excellent chance for the world to promote their tourism products.

It is expected to help promote the development of China's inbound tourism, publicize China's image to the world, as well as expand industrial exchanges and cooperation, according to organizers of the event.

The four-day CITM, covering an area of 30,000 square meters with 1454 booths, has attracted nearly 10,000 professionals from 49 nations and areas.
 
(Xinhua News Agency November 21, 2003)