Six countries in the Greater Mekong Subregion (GMS) discussed deepening tourism ties at a forum held Tuesday in southwest China's Yunnan Province.

The Mekong Tourism Forum, held in the city of Dali on May 28-29, is themed on tourism as a driver for cultural heritage preservation and poverty alleviation.

Over 45.3 million trips were made between China and GMS countries in 2018, up by 7.6 percent year on year. 

Thailand, Vietnam and Cambodia received 10.4 million, 7.8 million and 2 million Chinese visitors in 2018 respectively.

Zhang Xu, vice minister of culture and tourism of China, told the conference that the Chinese government attaches great importance to tourism exchanges and cooperation with GMS countries and has built multi-level and multi-form cooperation mechanisms and platforms.

In March of 2018, leaders of GSM adopted three documents including a joint declaration and an action plan for 2018-2022, pledging stronger multifaceted cooperation, including on transport, agriculture, tourism, environment and e-commerce.