Local nomads in Mongolian clothing perform during the opening ceremony of the First Regional Tourism Promotion Conference held in Hulunbuir, Inner Mongolia autonomous region, on Feb 8. [Photo/people.cn]

During the two-day conference, attendees visited the scenic zone of Chen Barag Banner, a unique area that borders Russia in Manzhouli, and tourism souvenir exhibitions. A grand Mongolian-style gala was also held by local nomads, involving snow sports and traditional folk dancing.

The conference was sponsored by Inner Mongolia Party Committee, Inner Mongolia People’s Government, Inner Mongolia Tourism Bureau, and Hulunbuir municipal government.

Li Jiheng (second from right), secretary of Inner Mongolia Party Committee, and Bu Xiaolin (fourth from right), chairwoman of Inner Mongolia People’s Government, meet with local nomads at a Mongolian yurt in Hulunbuir. [Photo/people.cn]

Located in North China, Inner Mongolia stretches a distance of 2,400 kilometers from east to west, crossing 29 longitudes, thus creating a unique landscape featuring forests, deserts, grasslands, mountains and lakes. In addition, it’s inhabited by 49 different ethnic groups including Mongolians, Manchus, Ewenkis, and Daurs. In recent years, regional officials have emphasized the development of the tourism industry in leagues and banners.

As the main recipient of tourism revenue, Hulunbuir received over 15.5 million visitors, a year-on-year increase of 9.63 percent. General tourism revenues hit 52.8 billion yuan ($7.68 billion), with a growth rate of 17.7 percent compared to the same period last year. The number of visitors received and total tourism revenues ranked second in the region.

A horse parade takes place during the First Regional Tourism Promotion Conference held in Hulunbuir, Inner Mongolia autonomous region, on Feb 8. [Photo/people.cn]