The Maritime Silk Road (Fuzhou) International Tourism Festival took place on 19-20 November 2017. The Festival was established in 2015 to connect ASEAN, Taiwan and China mainland. It promotes exchange and cooperation between countries and regions along the Maritime Silk Road. The 2017 event involved more than 300 tour operators and journalists from over 30 countries.

UNWTO took part in the International Mayors’ Forum on Tourism in Zhengzhou, China. Held from 27 to 30 May 2018, the forum attracted mayors from 95 cities across 28 countries, plus numerous official representatives from China.

UNWTO consultant Robert Travers undertook an exploratory mission to Fujian Province in August 2017, as part of his Maritime Silk Road research.

UNWTO Maritime Silk Road consultant Robert Travers visited Jakarta and South Sumatra in early September 2017. The visit was at the invitation of the Ministry of Tourism, which is a keen advocate of the tourism potential of the Maritime Silk Road. The Spice Islands (Maluku) in particular have played a key role in the history of maritime trade with Europe.