The 2009 Global Tourist Holiday Forum kicked off Monday in Shangri-la County, Deqen Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, southwest China's Yunnan Province.

Shangri-la was chosen as the venue of the forum, the highest level of its kind, because the county is considered the core zone representing the most attractive part of China, a major tourist destination for travel lovers. The county thus has a reputation of being a world-class tourist resort, according to the Organizing Committee.

Following one year of effort of the international communities to handle the global financial crisis, holiday tourism is getting warm again after a cold spell with the recovery of the world's economy.

Drawing close attention at the forum were the issues such as the new development trend of the global holiday tourism industry, how to build brand international tourist resorts and new opportunities for sightseeing placesd.

Chen Jianguo, commissioner of the prefecture, indicated that the forum would help promote exchanges and cooperation between Deqen and the international community, as well as expand the global impact of the prefectural tourism.

About 200 representatives from 22 countries including Switzerland, Korea, Greece, India, Turkey and Nepal and 20 influential media attended the forum.