The 2013 PATA Travel Mart opened on Monday in Chengdu, the capital of Sichuan province, creating thousands of business opportunities for sellers and buyers from 60 countries and regions around the world.

More than 10,000 pre-scheduled appointments will take place at the mart, according to Joao Manuel Costa Antunes, chairman of Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA).

The two-day event, the top trade mart in the Asia-Pacific region, drew 563 seller organizations from 31 countries and regions, and 473 buyers from 49 countries and destinations, said Antunes.

Antunes said he was excited to bring the 36th edition of the PTM to Chengdu, a city of around 14 million people that is playing an increasingly vital role for China, both as a destination and as a market.

"Chengdu is quickly becoming a new connectivity hub in Asia. With so many new international flights directly connecting Chengdu to Asia and beyond," said Antunes.

Martin Craigs, CEO of PATA, said he was surprised at the fast development and change taking place in Chengdu, after he first visited the city 30 years ago.

"As one of the fastest growing markets in inbound tourism, Chengdu will draw attention from the most wealthy and renowned global buyers." Craigs said.

Latest data shows that inbound tourism in Chengdu increased 6.9 percent in the first half of this year, despite a decrease of 4.2 percent in the whole country.

Chengdu attracted 120 million tourists from around the world in 2012 generating tourism income of 107 billion yuan ($17.4 billion), accounting for 8.4 percent of the city's GDP, according to its deputy mayor.

Chance for city promotion

The Chengdu Culture & Tourism Development Group signed agreements with the world's largest tourism website Tripadvisor, and the well-known domestic tourism website Ctrip, at the mart on Monday. With the help of Tripadvisor and Ctrip, the group will start the network marketing among Chengdu's direct-fly cities.

"Chengdu will transform and upgrade the international promotion of its culture and tourism," said a director of the group. Instead of the city image and tourism products, the city will focus on the promotion of its unique culture and attractive lifestyle.

The group and Ctrip will work out a uniquely themed cultural tourist route, which fully introduces the history and culture, natural scenery, and local customs and practices to the world.

Meanwhile, Tripadvisor will make a targeted and efficient approach to promote Chengdu to different countries' tourists accordingly.

The host city has grasped the precious opportunity to promote its tourism resources. A seller group consists of the representatives from the tourism bureaus, spots and enterprises.

Teng Gang, general manager of the Chengdu branch of China Youth Travel Agency, said the travel mart provides not only a great opportunity to promote tourism products, but also to display brand image.

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