The 2019 US-China Cultural Tourism Festival opened Friday in Las Vegas, Nevada, aiming to expand cultural and tourism exchanges between the two countries.

The three-day festival consists of various themes, including Chinese and American tourist cities, scenic spots, world heritage and intangible cultural heritage.

It has attracted the attendance of 145 exhibitors from Chinese and American cultural, tourism and handicraft industries, with 65 of them coming from China, according to Las Vegas Committee of Enterprise and Commerce United, organizer of the event.

“Tourism and travel is the vehicle served to promote the cultural exchanges among different countries,” said Chinese Consul General in San Francisco Wang Donghua at the opening ceremony.

“Strengthening the cooperation in the fields of culture and tourism is very important for deepening the mutual understanding, trust and further expanding China-U.S. exchanges and cooperation,” he noted, adding that the festival is of great significance especially when being held on the occasion of the four-decade milestone in U.S.-China diplomatic relations.

Richard Cherchio, a councilman in the City of North Las Vegas, said that he expected the event would “draw the two cultures closer together, so we can complement one another and learn from each other.”