MEXICO CITY, March 16 (Xinhua) -- Mexico will seek to attract Chinese tourists with the country's cultural heritage, Mexico's Tourism Minister Miguel Torruco said Friday.

"This year, 124 million Chinese people are going out to visit other countries," Torruco said at a press conference, while giving details on the country's 2020 Tianguis Turistico, an annual international tourist fair.

"This market niche is what we are going to explore so they can enjoy our great heritage," he said.

According to the official, Chinese tourists are interested in tourist attractions such as the jungle and colonial towns, like those found in the states of Yucatan, Campeche, Chiapas, and Oaxaca, all of which are in the southeast of the country.

They are especially interested in pre-Hispanic cultures like the Maya and the Olmecs.

"We estimate that this year we will visit China to do promotions with the ministers of tourism from the states that bring together these preferences," he said.

According to the latest figures from the Mexican government, in 2017 the number of Chinese tourists increased by 16 percent to around 100,000.

In 2019, the Tianguis Turistico will run from April 7-10 in the popular resort town of Acapulco, located in the state of Guerrero on the Pacific coast.

For this year's edition, 900 potential business partners from 40 countries, including China, and 600 exhibitors from all over Mexico, are expected to attend.