A major China-Europe tourism forum will be held October 19-22 next year in Yantai, East China's Shandong Province, organizers said Thursday.

ASEM Forum & Exhibition on Tourism Investment and Cooperation (ASETIC) is the first large-scale event organized in the ASEM frame work in the sector of tourism, organizers told reporters at a news conference in Beijing. ASEM refers to Asia-Europe Meeting, an informal forum set up to strengthen the connections between the two continents.

Jointly hosted by the Ministry of Commerce, National Administration of Tourism and Shandong Provincial People's Government, ASETIC aims to enhance the relations between Asia and Europe, promote the increase of investment and trade for the co-prosperity and development among ASEM members through exchange and cooperation in the tourism industry.

The event will feature forums, exhibitions, investment & trade talks, and promotion of culture and tourism.

The forum is expected to focus on tourism development planning, the sustainable development of tourism industry, presentation of investment policies and environment, and transnational mergers and acquisition and transfer of enterprise shares, according to the press conference.

The exhibition is to demonstrate the splendid culture, long history, unique local civilization and social customs, rich tourism resources and attractive investment environment of ASEM members.

China and Europe are rich in tourism resources and have great potential for cooperate, Yin Zonghua, an official with the Ministry of Commerce told reporters.

Europe is China's second largest source of inbound tourists next to Asia as well as China's second largest tourist destination after Asia, an official with the National Tourism Administration revealed. ASETIC is sure to serve as a bridge between China and other 38 ASEM members, he added.

 (Chinadaily.com.cn December 2, 2005)