The first cross-strait tourism exposition is due to be held in Xiamen, an open city in east China's Fujian Province in September 2005 at the co-sponsorship of the National Tourism Administration and Fujian Provincial People's Government, a senior provincial tourism official said Thursday.

Huang Xiaoyan, director of the Fujian Provincial Tourism Bureau,said the expo is aimed at promoting qualified and innovated tourism products, and increasing investment in local tourism industry, so as to further push tourism development across the Taiwan Strait.

There will be 320 booths in the venue of the exposition, with most of which having been booked by Taiwan, Hong Kong and Macao tourism operators. Participants from 130 countries and regions worldwide will also join the expo, which is expected to arrange such activities as holding of a tourism forum and picture displays during the session.

The cross-strait tourism summit conference will also be held during the exposition, and it will be addressed by senior World Tourism Organization officials, international and domestic experts.

(Xinhua News Agency June 24, 2005)