Artists from China's Yunan Province perform during the opening ceremony of the 2019 U.S.-China Cultural Tourism Festival in Las Vegas, the United States, May 10, 2019. (Xinhua/Han Fang)

LAS VEGAS, the United States, May 12 (Xinhua) -- The 2019 U.S.-China Cultural Tourism Festival opened Friday in Las Vegas, the U.S. state of 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.

Flying Tigers veterans (front) attend the opening ceremony of the 2019 U.S.-China Cultural Tourism Festival in Las Vegas, the United States, May 10, 2019. (Xinhua/Han Fang)

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.

A visitor takes photos of her daughter at a lion dance booth during the 2019 U.S.-China Cultural Tourism Festival in Las Vegas, the United States, May 11, 2019. (Xinhua/Han Fang)

"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.

Jiang Furong (R), representative inheritor of China's intangible cultural heritage Qiang traditional grass weaving, shows grass weaving products to children at the 2019 U.S.-China Cultural Tourism Festival in Las Vegas, the United States, May 11, 2019. (Xinhua/Han Fang)

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