2026 Xi'an Silk Road International Tourism Expo set to open on April 17

The 2026 Xi'an Silk Road International Tourism Expo will be held at the Xi'an International Convention and Exhibition Center from April 17 to 19, under the theme "Connecting the World through the Silk Road & Co-creating a Bright Future for Cultural Tourism", the Department of Culture and Tourism of Shaanxi Province announced at a press conference on Friday.

Officials from the Department of Culture and Tourism of Shaanxi Province, the Xi'an Qujiang New Area Administrative Committee, and Xi'an Qujiang International Convention and Exhibition (Group) Co Ltd attended the press conference and answered questions from journalists, outlining key preparations and overall arrangements for the expo.

As 2026 marks the opening year of China's 15th Five-Year Plan (2026-30) period, the cultural and tourism sector is entering a new stage of high-quality development. Against this backdrop, the expo will focus on promoting trade, stimulating consumption, and enhancing visitor experiences. It aims to facilitate business cooperation and market expansion for exhibitors, foster deeper exchanges and collaboration, and create immersive, digitally enabled experience scenarios. A range of public-oriented initiatives will also be launched to ensure that the benefits of cultural and tourism development are shared more broadly.

The expo will span 32,000 square meters and feature two exhibition halls: Hall 1 (Exchange and Cooperation) and Hall 2 (Industrial Integration). Seven themed exhibition zones will be set up, covering international exchange, inter-provincial cooperation, Shaanxi tourism, integrated development demonstration, tourist destinations and supporting services, cultural tourism consumption experiences, and tourism equipment and amusement facilities.

Two core events — the opening ceremony and the Belt and Road Tourism Development Forum — and four supporting activities, including cultural tourism promotion, professional buyer-seller negotiations, Shaanxi tour experience and provincial city roadshows, will be held during the expo. The expo will be open to the public free of charge. Visitors may register online via the official website or the WeChat account "Xi'an Silk Road International Tourism Expo", or sign up on-site by scanning a QR code.

To date, the expo has attracted 130 delegations. International participation includes Ethiopia as the Guest of Honor, along with 18 countries, regions, and international organizations such as Uruguay and Singapore, representing Asia, Africa, Latin America, and Europe. Domestically, participants will come from 20 provincial-level regions, including Guangdong, Ningxia, and Zhejiang province. Renowned enterprises such as Ctrip, Wudang Mountain Cultural Tourism, Shaanxi Tourism Group, Xi'an Giant Panda Cultural Tourism, Starbucks, and Ice Peak will also showcase their featured products.

The expo will introduce a series of innovative measures to enhance practical outcomes and trade facilitation, including a digital supply-demand matching system for precise cooperation, 101 professional buyers for one-on-one negotiations, and 36 on-site promotion events to boost project cooperation. A dedicated exhibition area will also be created to offer immersive experiences for visitors. Additionally, a cultural and creative market will be launched with 55 national vendors, and partnerships will be with 22 experience sites across Shaanxi to offer discounts on scenic tickets, hotels, and cultural products, stimulating cultural tourism consumption.

At the press conference, officials from the organizing and hosting units addressed questions from the media regarding trade promotion measures, key highlights, and public-benefit initiatives of the expo.