Hi Finance | "High-Quality Development of Cultural Tourism Industry"

Source: Overseas Network

This year’s government work report proposes high-quality development of the cultural and tourism industry, enriching the integration of culture, tourism, sports, and commerce.

Tourists sightseeing in the terraced fields of Longji Town, Longsheng Autonomous County, Guangxi. Photo by Xinhua News Agency reporter Lu Boyan

China’s cultural and tourism market is booming. Data released by the Ministry of Culture and Tourism shows that, according to a sample survey of domestic residents’ travel, by 2025, the number of domestic trips will reach 6.522 billion, an increase of 907 million from the same period last year, a year-on-year growth of 16.2%. Domestic residents’ travel expenses will total 6.3 trillion yuan, an increase of 550 billion yuan from the previous year, a year-on-year growth of 9.5%. During the National Two Sessions, the cultural and tourism industry became a highly discussed topic, with many representatives and committee members sharing insights on industry development, consumption upgrades, and integration pathways.

Focusing on promoting high-quality tourism development, Dai Bin, member of the National Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference and director of the China Tourism Research Institute, believes that urban and rural tourism destinations should use more wisdom, patience, and perseverance to create a new pattern of high-quality development characterized by systematic promotion and quality-oriented guidance.

Regarding traditional tourism sectors such as travel agencies, scenic spots, and hotels, Dai Bin suggests supporting policy measures and public opinion guidance to improve the quality of these industries and enhance practitioners’ sense of achievement. For all tourism destinations, a satisfaction evaluation system centered on genuine visitor perceptions should be established, abandoning the mindset of solely pursuing “internet celebrity effects,” and genuinely improving service quality.

Against the backdrop of rapid development in the cultural and tourism industry, consumer demand is also changing. According to Xia Hua, a deputy to the National People’s Congress and chairman of Yiwon Group, China’s cultural and tourism consumption has shifted from superficial sightseeing to “deep experiential” quality consumption. Young people are gradually becoming the main consumers, preferring cultural products that combine ease and experience with unique content. Xia Hua suggests further activating the vitality of private enterprises, creating new “small but beautiful” and “small but distinctive” cultural and tourism consumption scenarios, and combining local culture and craftsmanship to create more immersive spaces for consumers.

Yang Kai, mayor of Sandu Shui Autonomous County in Qiannan Prefecture, Guizhou Province, and a deputy to the National People’s Congress, recommends: first, implementing a brand system construction project, establishing a national special guiding fund to support ethnic regions in systematic IP planning, brand promotion, and intellectual property protection; second, implementing a professional talent empowerment project through targeted training, specialized courses, think tank support, and incentives to address the talent shortages in cultural and tourism sectors in ethnic areas; third, promoting industry chain integration by fostering deep integration of “culture + events + industry,” and supporting the development of intangible cultural heritage creative industries and特色餐饮 (specialty catering). (Overseas Network, Mu Yuchen)