Attractions lure in business travelers (3)

"The historical and cultural background will be a unique feature for the MICE industry in Xi'an," he said.

Traffic is another issue limiting the city's tourism industry, as the city only has 10 non-stop international routes and all the destinations are in Asia.

Xi'an is not an air traffic hub and foreign travelers have to transfer from other cities.

The travel issue is being resolved, with Finnair Oyj launching the first non-stop route between Xi'an and Europe this summer.

The local government has also invested 150 million yuan to encourage airlines to open international routes in the city.