The 2025 Gansu Silk Road International Tourism Conference opens in Lanzhou, the capital of China's Gansu province, on April 7. [Photo provided to gogansu.com]

The 2025 Gansu Silk Road International Tourism Conference opened in Lanzhou on April 7, gathering over 300 international and domestic travel agents, industry experts, and influencers. The event aims to foster cooperation and explore new opportunities for Silk Road tourism.

Hosted by the Gansu Provincial Department of Culture and Tourism and supported by organizations including UN Tourism and the World Tourism Alliance, the conference runs until April 12. Under the theme "Silk Road Tours in Gansu, the Dreamland for Global Travelers," it showcases the province's rich cultural and natural resources. Activities include keynotes, dialogues, business negotiations, and familiarization tours of Silk Road routes.

The 2025 Gansu Silk Road International Tourism Conference opens in Lanzhou, the capital of China's Gansu province, on April 7. [Photo provided to gogansu.com]

Gansu, a historic "golden segment" of the Silk Road, is promoting its "Symphony Silk Road, Ruyi Gansu" brand. The province experienced strong tourism growth in 2024, with inbound visitors increasing by 137 percent to nearly 248,000.

Gansu officials expressed intent to leverage the conference to deepen international partnerships in product development, marketing, and digital tourism, aiming to enhance the global appeal of Silk Road travel routes.