An event scheduled for later this month in Moscow, will help to promote Chinese culture ahead of next year's Olympic Games, to be held in Beijing, an official said at a news conference Thursday.

"We are willing to attract more Russian visitors spending their holidays during the 2008 Olympics in Beijing, and this historical ancient city and booming Olympic culture give us advantages," said Wang Qing, an officer with the Beijing Tourism Administration.

Wang introduced that some entrepreneurs from Beijing, including representatives from hotels, travel agencies and tourist attractions, to make Olympic-themed presentations in hopes of attracting Russian visitors. They were also to address common tourist concerns, such as security, booking hotels, purchasing tickets, and navigating traffic, Wang said.

Last year saw 150,000 Russian tourists visit Beijing, taking advantage of direct flights from Moscow. The figure represented a 54 percent increase compared with 2005, according to Beijing Tourism Administration statistics. So far this year, roughly 58,000 Russian tourists have traveled to Beijing, a nearly 20 percent increase compared with the same period last year.

An Olympic themed exhibition, titled "New Beijing, Great Olympics," is also set to open in Russia to help promote the Games through photographs and products.