Berlin – Commercial interest in the Silk Road region has grown considerably over recent years, with historical connections between Europe, the Middle East and Asia being re-discovered and revitalized. Stronger economies, improved infrastructure and connectivity, advances in information technology and enhanced mobility are creating new and exciting opportunities for tourism. This is especially true of the Asian section of the Silk Road, a region home to a great number of UNESCO World Heritage Sites which in 2013 totalled 248 million international tourist arrivals.

According to UNWTO’s long-term forecasts on the performance of individual regions, the Asian market will be growing at an average of 5% per year and reach approximately 535 million tourist arrivals by 2030. Concomitantly, its overall global market share will increase to 30%, cementing, herewith, the tourism sector’s importance for the region in terms of economic stability, sustainable growth and inclusive development.

Taking this into account, the Silk Road Tour Operators Forum will be aiming at the following:

– To assess the performance and profile of some of the destinations driving the region’s growth by drawing on the extensive knowledge and experience of stakeholders operating throughout the region
– To assess how this knowledge and added value can be used to benefit the Silk Road tourism brand and concept
– To build new alliances and partnerships between the public and private sector by giving stakeholders the opportunity to showcase their products and discuss relevant issues.