International Tourism Alliance of Silk Road Cities: September 2025 Event Series

From 14 to 21 September 2025, a series of events was held under the auspices of the International Tourism Alliance of Silk Road Cities (ITASRC), a project of the Ministry of Culture and Tourism of China. The activities took place across several provinces and gathered representatives from dozens of countries.

One of the key events in this series was the 2025 International Tourism Alliance of Silk Road Cities Travel Agents Conference, held in Liaocheng City, Shandong Province, China. Liaocheng is an important historical point along the Grand Canal, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

The event took place under the slogan “The Silk Road Links the World, Cultural and Tourism Cooperation Fosters Shared Prosperity.”

The central occasion of the series was the annual summit of the Alliance’s member cities, which was held in Quanzhou, Fujian Province. In 2021, Quanzhou was inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List for its 22 sites of ancient cultural heritage.

During the summit, Alliance membership plaques were presented to new cities joining the network. Although the “Silk Road” is traditionally perceived geographically as spanning from Türkiye through Central Asia and China to the countries of Southeast Asia, the Alliance is open to members from any country or continent, in line with China’s broader international cooperation policy in culture and tourism. Up to three cities may join from one country.

Following the event, and in preparation for the Alliance’s 2026 agenda, organizers will evaluate the capabilities of the wtchat.travel digital platform for hybrid participation formats, including opportunities for remote attendance. This project is currently in its early development stage but has significant international potential.