The 7th Xinjiang Spring Tourism Expo opened Friday in Urumqi, capital of northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, with a strong international turnout from Belt and Road countries and beyond.

Themed "Silk Road Charm, Springtime Xinjiang," the three-day event brought together over 600 cultural and tourism entities from China and abroad. It marked a new high in both scale and foreign participation.

The Belt and Road Initiative, launched by China in 2013, is a global development strategy that seeks to enhance trade and infrastructure links across Asia, Africa, Europe and beyond.

The expo drew professionals from across the industry, with travel agencies, hotels and outdoor brands rolling out discounts. Companies from Kazakhstan, Australia and other countries set up booths to tap the vast Chinese market and explore cooperation opportunities along the Belt and Road.

"We are from Kyrgyzstan. This exhibition helps us to build good bridges and good opportunities to improve [share] our culture to the world," said Cholpon Satykeeva, manager of a Kyrgyz traditional clothing studio.

"There's an old Chinese saying: 'A good neighbor is better than gold.' With the Belt and Road Initiative and the 30-day visa-free policy between China and Kazakhstan, we've seen a huge increase in Chinese visitors. We hope to connect with more travel agencies here and work together," said Zhenis Ayan, manager of a Kazakhstan-based travel agency.

Meanwhile, matchmaking events are underway at the expo, driving smart tourism and lifting product standards.

"We've also signed cooperation agreements with more than 140 travel agencies. The expo has been a great success for us. Moving forward, we hope to use this platform to help boost Xinjiang's high-quality development," said Jia Jin, head of the Promotion Department with the Changji Hui Autonomous Prefecture Tourism Bureau in Xinjiang.

The expo is delivering real benefits for tourists, from purchasing high‑quality outdoor gear at factory prices to securing early‑bird deals on specialty tour routes.

Attendees are also immersing themselves in Xinjiang’s cultural charm through interactive intangible heritage experiences at the expo.

"After walking around, I was the most deeply impressed by this section. It was my first time seeing such craftsmanship. It was a pleasant surprise," said Shao Changjun, a visitor.

As the expo continues, Xinjiang is positioning itself as a hub for Belt and Road tourism, using international cooperation, cultural exchange and smart tourism initiatives to drive high-quality development and expand its global reach