Zhang Huiguang, director of the Beijing Tourism Administration, speaks at a news conference on November 30, 2008, before the official opening of the Beijing Tourism Forum.

Tourism officials in Beijing announced the opening of an industry forum on December 1 to give a boost to the capital's sagging tourism business amid the global economic slowdown.

The Beijing Tourism Administration said it has invited officials from China's National Tourism Administration, the capital's municipal government and international tourism professionals to discuss how to invigorate the industry, which has been affected by the worldwide financial crisis.

Beijing's tourism industry reached a climax this summer with the city's hosting of the 2008 Summer Olympics. Forum participants will discuss how the city can regain some of this momentum, said Zhang Huiguang, director of the Beijing Tourism Administration, at a news conference in Beijing on Sunday.

The forum also will feature a promotional event during which tourism officials from nine neighboring regions, including Hebei and Shandong provinces and the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, will work together on developing regional tourism cooperation.

The forum will run from December 1 to December 3 in Beijing.