The 1st Sichuan International Travel Expo was Grandly Opened in Emeishan, Sichuan, China

The 1st Sichuan International Travel Expo (SCITE) was grandly opened in Emeishan, Leshan, Sichuan on September 27, 2014. Mr. Wei Hong, Deputy Secretary of the CPC Sichuan Provincial Committee and Governor of Sichuan Provincial People's Government, announced the opening of SCITE at the Opening Ceremony hosted by Ms. Huang Yanrong, Vice-Governor of Sichuan Provincial People's Government. The Expo, as a major access for realizing the development target of "building Sichuan into a major tourism economy province and a world tourist destination," attracted over 400 tourism product buyers and representatives of international tourism institutions from 37 countries and regions as well as guests in the tourism sector from 20 provinces in China. 15 cultural celebrities born in Sichuan were honored as Tourism Image Ambassadors of Sichuan at the ceremony

Over 1,500 domestic and overseas enterprises in the tourism sector participated in SCITE, demonstrating the great influence and attractiveness of tourism resources in Sichuan as well as Western China. 561 buyers and 912 suppliers at home and abroad held "face-to-face" trade talks in sequence for 20 rounds in total for two days, which was arranged in advance. 80 plus domestic and overseas investors attended the Sichuan Tourism Investment Project Promotion & Signing Ceremony, at which about 200 projects were signed with the contract price totaling about RMB131.85 billion.

Mr. Scott Supernaw, Chairman of PATA who was invited to the Expo, said there are numerous excellent tourism resources in Sichuan and PATA has a responsibility to cooperate with Sichuan to develop the tourism potential of Sichuan. Mr. Francesco Frangialli, Honorary Secretary-General of UNWTO, said Sichuan's tourism industry is doing well and has a great potential for further development. A series of events was held during SCITE, including the 5th China International Self-driving Tour Trade Fair themed "Smart Tourism-Start from Leshan," Summit Forum on Global New Patterns of Tourism Industry Development, Forum on Self-drive Development & Trend in China, Forum on Development & Outlook of Smart Travel in China. and more.