South China's island province of Hainan will host a high-level tourism forum this weekend to launch the national project to build Hainan into a top international tourist resort.

The forum would be an important gathering of players in the global tourism industry, Vice Governor of Hainan Tan Li said Thursday at a press conference.

"Hainan will present itself to the world with a fresh image," said Tan.

"The forum is an intro with drums and gongs for the construction of a top international tourist destination."

More than 2,000 experts, tourism organization representatives and government officials are expected to attend the 2010 Boao International Tourism Forum to discuss tourism reforms in the post-financial crisis era.

The forum will attract representatives from the United Nations World Tourism Organization, the World Travel and Tourism Council and the Pacific Asia Tourism Association, as well as more than 60 officials of ministerial level and above.

The forum will endorse the Hainan Tourism Declaration, putting forward proposals on the recovery of tourism from the global economic downturn.

The Chinese government in January announced a plan to build the island, which became a province and China's largest special economic zone in 1988, into a top international tourist destination by 2020.