When Marco Polo trekked west out of China to establish new markets for Chinese goods, his travels were among the first contacts between central Asia and China. The route he took came to be known as the Silk Road, in honor of China’s most famous and most sought after export.
This year, China is focusing a major tourism campaign to encourage travelers to rediscover the Silk Road and the ancient cities along its path for themselves. The announcement of the program took place in Xi’an, capital of northwest China’s Xi’an, which was the starting point for The Silk Road in ancient times.
Promoting travel to the area to see the many attractions along the way will facilitate regional cooperation, deepen mutual understanding and establish mutually beneficiary ties for all related nations, says Du Jiang, deputy director of the China National Travel Agency.