The forum aimed at promoting tourism along the Lancang-Mekong River (Photo: Chinanews.com)

SANYA, Nov. 23 (Xinhua) -- A forum aimed at promoting tourism along the Lancang-Mekong River opened Friday in Sanya, a seaside city in southern China's island province of Hainan.

Representatives from 18 tourist cities in China, Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand and Vietnam attended the two-day forum.

At a roundtable discussion on Friday, representatives from cities along the Lancang-Mekong River drafted a memorandum on tourism cooperation, reaching consensus on issues such as enhancing inter-city communication, opening new air routes and promoting cruise tourism.

"The forum provides a good opportunity for cities along the Lancang-Mekong River to promote tourism," said Soudaphone Khomthavong, an official from Luang Prabang Province in Laos.

Originating from the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau in China, the river is called the Lancang River in China and the Mekong River when it flows through the other five countries before emptying into the sea.