The World Tourism Organization has sent a message to celebrate the opening of the Guangdong International Tourism and Culture Festival.

The province-wide festival kicked off yesterday in Guangzhou, capital of South China's Guangdong Province.

In a message to the festival's organizing committee, Francesco Frangialli, secretary-general of the world tourism authority, highlighted Guangdong's efforts in tourism development over the past few years.

"Guangdong's tourism is undoubtedly a very important engine propelling China's tourism industry. Within the Pearl River Delta area, Guangdong is like a magnet that draws visitors not just from Hong Kong and Macao, but the force of its attraction reaches foreign tourists alike in and out of Asia," Frangialli said.

Geological advantages and the simplification of the processing of travel documents for domestic and overseas tourists have been of great importance to Guangdong's rapid development in tourism, according to Frangialli.

He said the World Tourism Organization would further enhance co-operation with Guangdong in the sector of tourism in the future.

"We enjoy a very cordial relationship with Guangdong, and such friendly co-operation is expected to reach even the Pan-Pearl River Delta region, which is the heart of Asia's tourism industry," he said.

Source: China Daily