The Hong Kong Tourist Development Bureau and the Tourist Administration of the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region signed a contract in Urumqi Monday with an aim to promote tourist cooperation in the long run.

According to the contract, the two regions will regularly exchange tourist market information, and set each as priority destinations for their local tourists.

The two sides also expressed the hope that they will join hands overseas to seize a larger market share and conduct e-business in tourism.

Selina Chow Liang Shuk-Yee, chairwoman of the Hong Kong Tourist Development Bureau, indicated Xinjiang's tourism has a great potential, saying "Xinjiang's tourist sites will broaden people's horizons and are very attractive to Hong Kong residents."

This contract will intensify the cooperation between the tourist sectors in Hong Kong and Xinjiang, and the exchange of tourists is expected to rise, according to a leading official with the Xinjiang Tourist Bureau.

With an aggregated value exceeding US$100 million, nine other contracts concerning textiles, air transportation and other related sectors were also signed Monday by Xinjiang and Hong Kong.