More than 200 officials and tourism experts are expected to meet in this southern China resort city on Wednesday to discuss Asia-Pacific tourism development, the city's tourism bureau said.

Officials from national tourism departments and representatives of prominent hotels and travel agencies will attend a three-day forum on tourism challenges amid the global financial crisis, it said.

The forum, sponsored by the United Nations World Tourism Organization, will also feature discussions of regional tourism strategies amid efforts to promote regional cooperation.

A similar forum was held here a year ago.

(Xinhua News Agency December 17, 2008)