More than 800 sellers and buyers from nearly 60 countries and regions around the world are expected for the 2013 PATA Travel Mart, which will open on Sept 15 in Chengdu, the capital city of Sichuan province.

PATA Travel Mart (PTM) is a PATA signature event and a top travel trade show in the Asia Pacific region. The event brings together a large number of international sellers and buyers, providing a platform to showcase travel products and services around the Asia Pacific region.

The event is being held in Southwest China for the first time, and Chengdu is the third city in China to host PTM, after Beijing and Hangzhou.

According to the latest data, inbound tourism in China decreased 4.2 percent in the first half of this year. However, Chengdu's tourists increased 6.9 percent.

Martin J. Craigs, chief executive of PATA, said Chengdu already stands on the world stage. He believed the city will attract a large number of quality sellers and international tourism businesses during the event.

Delegates are involved in tourism products and services trade, establishing new connections and partnerships across the Asia Pacific region as well as creating an opportunity to discover China – a booming market and destination.

Leading travel agencies and companies will display their own travel branding and special resources during the event, and seek cooperation with others.

The three-day event includes a number of forums, workshops, and business sessions.

With a focus on "Chengdu, connecting to the world", the congress will provide a platform for more than 200 guests to share the latest industry trends and experiences in the field.

As the host city, Chengdu will promote the city's tourism brand and special products for industry delegates both domestic and overseas with a series of activities including "In Chengdu" city tourism promotion convention, "China inbound travel - Chengdu tourism workshop".

"As a historical city that hosts the 2013 PTM, Chengdu will attract media attention from the whole world," said an official. "This is an important opportunity to promote Chengdu's image and city brand as an international tourism destination."

Chengdu, with a population of 14 million, is located in the middle of Sichuan province. Known as "the land of abundance," Chengdu is the most important economic, transportation, and communication center in western China. The city is also home to pandas.