On 26 September 2018, the 2018 ASEAN “Belt and Road” Tourism Culture Exchange Week, co-hosted by ASEAN-China Centre (ACC), Guiyang Municipal Government and Tourism Development Committee of Guizhou Province, opened in Guiyang City, Guizhou Province. Mr. Wei Guonan, Deputy Governor of Guizhou Province, Mr. Chen Yan, Mayor of Guiyang City, Dr. Thong Khon, Minister of Tourism of the Kingdom of Cambodia, Dato’ Zainuddin Bin Yahya, Ambassador of Malaysia in China, Mr. Masataka Fujita, Secretary-General of ASEAN-Japan Centre (AJC), Mr. Chen Dehai, Secretary-General of ACC as well as representatives from embassies of ASEAN countries in China and international organizations, government officials, experts, scholars, and representatives from enterprises and industrial associations in the tourism sector of ASEAN countries and China, altogether more than 400 guests attended the opening ceremony.

Secretary-General Chen Dehai stated in his remarks that in recent years, ASEAN-China tourism cooperation has developed rapidly and has broad prospects. This exchange week will provide a platform for Guizhou Province and Guiyang City to further deepen friendly exchanges and cooperation with ASEAN countries and promote balanced, comprehensive and sustainable development of the tourism market, bringing benefits to the people of both sides. ACC will continue to play the role of one-stop information and activities centre, and work with all parties to make greater contributions to the establishment of a closer strategic partnership between ASEAN and China.

Minister Thong Khon said that the Ministry of Tourism of Cambodia would keep in mind both “tourism vision 2030” and “industry 4.0” in implementing the strategy of developing Smart Tourism. While continuously optimizing the existing tourism products, it would also invest in new innovative and sustainable tourism products to attract more Chinese tourists.

Ambassador Zainuddin Bin Yahya said that exchanges in tourism and culture could lay a solid foundation for mutual understanding and trust between the people of different countries. It is believed that this event will further promote friendly exchanges as well as cooperation in tourism and culture between ASEAN and China.

Deputy Governor Wei Guonan said that Guizhou is rich in tourism resources and has been cultivating tourism as an important pillar industry. He hoped that this exchange week would help raise the visibility of Guizhou to ASEAN countries and promote the “Colourful Guizhou” to the world, while enabling Guizhou people to learn more about ASEAN and choose ASEAN as their tourist destinations.

At the opening ceremony, Secretary-General Chen Dehai and Mayor Chen Yan signed the Memorandum of Cooperation between ASEAN-China Centre and Guiyang Municipal People’s Government. The two sides will work together to promote exchanges between Guiyang and ASEAN countries in trade, investment, education, culture, tourism, information and media, and promote ASEAN-China practical cooperation. The distinguished guests also jointly unveiled the ASEAN-Guizhou (Guiyang) Tourism Culture Promotion Centre.

In order to effectively promote tourism resources and explore business matching opportunities, a series of events including Guizhou (Guiyang) Tourism Promotion, ASEAN-Guizhou Joint Tourism Promotion Conference & Business Networking Workshop, and the Cambodia Night were held during the exchange week. Representatives from government departments, enterprises, industrial associations and other relevant parties in the tourism sector of China and ASEAN conducted in-depth discussions on specific cooperation projects. Before the opening ceremony, Mr. Zhao Deming, member of the Standing Committee of CPC Guizhou Provincial Committee and Secretary of CPC Guiyang Municipal Committee, held a group meeting with distinguished guests.