Qingdao tourism meet draws impressive response

The World Tourism Cities Federation's annual Fragrant Hills Tourism Summit, which ended on Saturday in Qingdao, in Shandong province, drew a huge response this year.

About 400 representatives from 112 cities and more than 200 members of tourism institutions and international organizations attended the event, which included forums, tourism promotions and trade and investment meetings.

"Tourism not only generates jobs and income along with business opportunities, but it also increases public revenues," Tegegnework Gettu, the United Nations under-secretary-general, said in his speech at the opening ceremony on Friday.