A major conference on the Silk Road kicked off in Gansu province on Thursday.

The conference, organized by the provincial government, hoped to boost cooperation among countries along the Silk Road, and enhance and develop tourism.

Sponsored by the World Tourism Organization and the 3rd Traveling in Dunhuang / The Silk Road International Tourism Festival, the conference is being held in China for the first time and has attracted leading specialists from the 29 countries along the ancient Silk Road.

The World Tourism Organization, the World Bank, the Asian Development Bank, International Finance Corp, the UN Trade and Development Organization, UNESCO, the Pacific Asia Travel Association, as well as guests of Chinese tourism and relevant provincial government departments will have a presence at the two-day meeting.

The Silk Road, established some 2,000 years ago from China to Europe, was a commercial trade route connecting Asia, Europe and Africa.

Dunhuang was once an important town along the road.

It now has more than 200 historical sites, including the Mogao Grottoes, Mingsha Hill, and Crescent Moon Lake.

Ma Lie contributed to this story.