This year, China will host Russia's Tourism Year, and Russia will host one for China next year. As a warm up for next year's promotional events in Russia, Chinese travel agencies vied to make an impression on Russian visitors at an international tourism expo that concluded earlier this week in Moscow.

At the China Pavilion, Russian visitors were attracted to images of Chinese scenery and culture.

Industry insiders say currently, most Russian travelers to China come from the eastern regions of the country which are nearest to China. At the expo, Chinese travel agencies are hoping to attract more tourists from other parts of Russia.

Staff with China National tourism Administration said: "This year will be the year of Russian Tourism in China, and next year Russia will hold the Year of China Tourism. So this expo is a warm up for next year. It is a good platform for Russians to learn about China’s tourism resources."

In recent years, Russian travelers to China have favored the coastal cities. Last year alone, Hainan Island in China’s south received more than 200,000 Russian visitors. Apart from the Chinese mainland, travel agencies from Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan also parti