WUHAN, May 9 (Xinhua) -- A senior tourism official from China Wednesday called for joint efforts to fully explore tourism among member states of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO).

"Tourism can be one of the most promising cooperation areas among SCO member states, which have more consensus and fewer differences," said Li Jinzao, vice minister of culture and tourism, at the first meeting of tourism ministers from SCO nations held in the central Chinese city of Wuhan.

Li suggested that SCO member states work together to promote culture heritage such as the Silk Road and streamline allocation and management of tourism resources.

They can also coordinate tourism industrial planning and policies, he said.

SCO Deputy Secretary-General Aziz Nosirov said that SCO member states had rich tourism resources and should spend more effort in the sector to enhance people-to-people friendship and understanding.

Founded in Shanghai in 2001, the SCO has eight member states: China, India, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan, Russia, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan.