DUBAI, Sept. 6 (Xinhua) -- A tourism delegation of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) will visit three Chinese cities on a roadshow, the UAE tourism authorities said on Thursday.

The delegation will travel to China's Shanghai, Shenzhen and Kunming over five days from September 10, said the Department of Culture and Tourism of Abu Dhabi (DCT Abu Dhabi) in an e-mailed statement.

UAE's national carrier Etihad Airways, along with hoteliers, travel agencies and tour operators will join the roadshow.

"It is very important for us to continue to increase our presence in the Chinese market and boost awareness about the many and varied products we have across the emirate, especially as we have so many new and exciting offerings," said Mubarak Al Nuaimi, Director Promotions and Overseas Offices of DCT Abu Dhabi.

China is the largest overseas market of Abu Dhabi. In 2017, 373,400 Chinese tourists visited Abu Dhabi, an increase of more than 60 percent over 2016.

"Visiting Kunming and Shenzhen for the first time will also hopefully assist us in getting our message out to a wider audience of potential travellers," AL Nuaimi added.