The China Xi'an Silk Road International Tourism Expo 2014 kicked off on Friday in the capital of Shaanxi province.

The expo aims to provide a one-stop business-to-business networking platform for international and domestic tourism and the travel industry.

According to Yang Zhongwu, director of the Shaanxi provincial tourism administration, the three-day expo will attract more than 500 Chinese and international travel agencies, tour industry companies, airlines, cruise lines, banks and travel media from 32 countries.

It is backed by the United Nations World Tourism Organization and the China National Tourism Administration, and is organized by the Shaanxi provincial tourism administration and co-sponsored by the Xi'an tourism administration and Shaanxi tourism association.

The expo, which will be an annual event, covering an area of 20,000 square meters, has attracted more than 4,000 professionals in the sector.