Zhengzhou, capital of Central China's Henan province, will hold the 2016 International Forum of Tourist City Mayors from May 24 to 26, announced vice governor Zhang Guangzhi of Henan at a press conference on Friday.

It was in 2008, with the support of the National Tourism Administration, that Zhengzhou started holding the biennial forum. So far, mayors from 216 cities in 45 countries have participated in the forum.

According to Zhang, they have sent invitations to 158 mayors from around the world this year, of which 41 have already confirmed their participation at the forum while another 24 agree to send deputies.

This year's theme will be "cultural and ecological tourism", with the topics ranging from how to promote tourism through the cultural influence of a city to how to exploit tourism resources through financial means.

Yang Fuping, vice mayor of the hosting Zhengzhou city, said Zhengzhou's tourism sector kept an annual growth rate of 10.5 percent during the 12th Five-Year Plan period (2010-15) and its total revenue derived from tourism increased from 50.9 billion yuan ($7.9 billion) to 92.7 billion yuan.

And Henan will make use of the opportunity to accelerate infrastructure construction and show the world a more open image, said Guo Junfeng, deputy director of foreign affairs of Henan.

"Being located in the central zone of the country, Henan has disadvantages in linking overseas, but we have been accelerating high-speed railway construction and promoting trade with global economies", he told China Daily. "We will show the whole world our openness and confidence."

A 5-day exhibition of local tourism sites will be staged following the forum.