World Tourism Organization (WTO) and Bo'ao Forum for Asia (BFA) declared in Beijing Thursday to hold International Tourism Conference in Hangzhou, capital of eastern China's Zhejiang Province, on Sept. 24.

The conference will focus on current hot tourist topics and invite over 800 representatives from across the world including tourist ministers and other officials.

Tourism has become a pillar industry in China and a key engine for the country's economy as China has maintained stable and sustainable economic growth, Long said.

This will be the third international tourism conference jointlyheld by World Tourism Organization and Bo'ao Forum for Asia. The previous two opened in Guilin, a scenic city in south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, in November, 2002 and in Hong Kong in July, 2003.

Source: Xinhua