All published updates

Meituan: Mid-Autumn and National Day flight bookings up 44% year on year

Meituan data shows flight bookings for this year's Mid-Autumn and National Day holiday rose 44% year on year, with long-haul bookings over 2,000 km up 76% and accounting for more than a quarter of the total; users booking two or more destinations rose 70%. September 10-17 was the booking peak, with nearly 20% of travellers departing the day before Mid-Autumn and over half departing before September 30. Chengdu, Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou and Chongqing led destinations, while Shanghai-Urumqi bookings rose 235%. Combined air-rail transfers drew attention for their price advantage, with Beijing-Yuncheng air-rail options saving up to 70%.

2026 Beijing Culture Forum Parallel Forum on Cultural Heritage and Artistic Creation to Be Held

The 2026 Beijing Culture Forum will be held in Beijing on September 22-23, with the parallel forum on Cultural Heritage and Artistic Creation scheduled for September 23 at the Beijing Hotel. The parallel forum is co-hosted by the Culture and Art Bureau of the Publicity Department of the CPC Central Committee, the Arts Department and Intangible Cultural Heritage Department of the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, the Publicity Department of the National Radio and Television Administration, the Theoretical Research Office of the China Federation of Literary and Art Circles, and the Creation Liaison Department of the China Writers Association, and jointly organized by the Beijing Municipal Radi…

Beijing's Dongcheng District Releases Ten Cultural Exploration Routes

On September 16, the "Seeking Charm of the Ancient Capital, Enjoying Dongcheng" 2026 Dongcheng District Cultural Exploration Event and Route Launch Ceremony was held at Longtan Zhonghu Park, officially releasing ten new cultural exploration routes presented through Citywalk, cycling, and micro-running formats. The routes cover themes including commercial history, hutong culture, night sightseeing, cycling and food, theater and intangible heritage, Central Axis exploration, traditional Chinese medicine culture, and urban art renewal, catering to both domestic and inbound visitors. Three "cycling + Citywalk" cultural exploration experiences were launched on the same day.

Beijing Proposes Holiday Extended and Staggered Hours for Municipal First-Class Museums

The 26th session of the Standing Committee of the 16th Beijing Municipal People's Congress conducted a second review of the Beijing Museum Regulations (Draft). Building on the first draft's encouragement of extended and staggered opening, the second draft sets firmer requirements: during national statutory holidays and school winter and summer vacations, museums should open normally, and municipal first-class national museums should adopt extended and staggered opening hours. The draft also encourages free public access with necessary funding support from municipal and district governments; museums should provide free guided tours at fixed times or via information technology, encourage dire…

SAMR and Ministry of Culture and Tourism Hold Administrative Guidance Meeting for Online Hotel Book…

On Sept 15, China's State Administration for Market Regulation (SAMR), together with the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, held an administrative guidance meeting for the online hotel booking platform services industry, directing platform companies to fulfill compliance responsibilities and prevent and resolve industry competition risks. The meeting required platforms to strictly comply with the Anti-Monopoly Law, Anti-Unfair Competition Law, E-Commerce Law and Tourism Law, learn from cases, self-inspect, and guard against exclusive cooperation, 'lowest price across the entire internet' and other 'involution' issues and competition risks, and to build long-term compliance mechanisms. Heads o…

Beijing 15th Five-Year Open Economy Plan: Enriching Inbound Tourism Products

Beijing has issued the 15th Five-Year Plan for High-Level Open Economy Development, which calls for fully utilizing unilateral visa-free entry, mutual visa exemption, 240-hour transit visa-free entry, and port group tourist visa policies to enrich inbound tourism products and itineraries and optimize the inbound consumption environment. The plan also promotes high-quality development of services trade and digital trade, coordinated development of Beijing's international air passenger and cargo transport, and an improved international air express network. It calls for expanding the coverage of departure tax-refund stores and promoting "buy now, refund now," accelerating construction of a glo…

AI Enters Scenic Areas: Digital Technology Accelerates Integration into Cultural Tourism

The 2026 China International Fair for Trade in Services showcased the latest smart tourism achievements, with AI accelerating integration into cultural tourism. Yili Grassland Dairy Culture Tourism Scenic Area uses digital cows, XR panoramic roaming, and AR interaction for immersive industrial tourism, receiving over 940,000 visitors this year as of August, with average family stay extended to 4.5 hours. Dalian Xiongdong Street's AI bionic giant bear 'Beibei' attracted about 1.73 million visitors in the past year. Shanghai's 'Huxiaoyou' city life agent has served over 20 million users. Fujian Piaofutong's multimodal AI companion service has served 3.5 million tourists, with an active usage…

2026 Silk Road Influencers Beijing Tour Launches, Inbound Visitors Up 32.6% in H1

The 2026 'Silk Road Influencers Beijing Tour' launched on September 14, inviting 10 influencers from 9 Arab countries to visit Beijing. Beijing's Publicity Department stated that in the first half of 2026, Beijing received 3.2727 million inbound visitors, up 32.6% year-on-year. The event runs until September 18, with influencers visiting various sites and sharing their experiences with Arab audiences via livestreams and posts. The event has been held 12 times since 2016.

Austrian National Tourist Office Visits UTour Group to Deepen Cooperation

After the Beijing stop of the Austrian National Tourist Office roadshow, the office and over ten destination resource providers visited UTour Group headquarters to discuss China-Austria market changes, product innovation, and resource collaboration. Austria, a core destination for Chinese outbound travel to Europe, attracts Chinese tourists with music culture and Alpine scenery. UTour has deep experience in the European market and offers multiple in-depth Austria products. Both sides will promote regular exchanges and product diversification.

Jinan Pitches Weekend Trips to Beijing, High-Speed Rail as Fast as 1h22m

On September 11, the 2026 "Golden Autumn in Beijing, Weekend in Jinan" tourism promotion event was held on Qianmen Street in Beijing, with the Jinan Municipal Bureau of Culture and Tourism presenting the city across five dimensions: overall urban strength, natural scenery, historical heritage, city life and cultural tourism experiences. Jinan tourism ambassadors used eight "Spring City signature songs" to present eight weekend itineraries covering spring leisure, commercial-port nostalgia and Song-dynasty style. Key attractions including Baotu Spring (Tianxia Diyi Quan), Mingshui Ancient Town and Lingyan Temple took the stage to promote autumn cultural tourism activities, with scenic areas…

Spanish Apprentice Showcases Taihe Banmian at CIFTIS

The outdoor area of CIFTIS 2026 hosted the 'Super Wan' food market, where 26-year-old Spanish apprentice Song Xulin demonstrated Taihe banmian techniques including dough portioning, rolling and slapping. Song is a senior at Hefei University's International Education College. During a trip to Taihe County, Anhui in early July, he decided to learn the craft under Zhang Peng, a banmian chef with 16 years of experience. In late July, their 'Tai You Mian' team won the Fuyang district round of the 'Super Wan' food competition, which led to their invitation to CIFTIS.

CIFTIS Food Stalls Draw Crowds as Dining Brands Launch New Products

Food stalls across CIFTIS 2026 venues drew large crowds, becoming one of the fair's most popular features. Beijing Xiangshan Hotel presented dishes such as abalone and beef brisket rice, lion's head meatball rice and xiaodiao pear soup in Hall 9. Donglaishun displayed Mid-Autumn gift boxes, co-branded snacks and new retail desserts, and launched a ready-to-eat Beijing-style walnut cream. In the outdoor area, the Jiangxi stir-fry market introduced a Waguan Fuliang Snow Mountain milk tea, JiJiHong hot pot showcased a portable 'hot pot cup', and the Qinghai family banquet · Yushu goods market brought nine Yushu grassland-direct products including hand-torn yak beef, plus 'Beijing-Yushu fusion'…

Beijing Releases 13 Outstanding Cultural Tourism Tech Innovation Cases and 14 Solutions

On September 12, the 2026 Beijing Culture and Tourism Technology Innovation Outstanding Cases and Solutions release event was held at the Shougang Park during the CIFTIS. Through public solicitation, district recommendations and expert review, Beijing selected 13 outstanding cases and 14 outstanding solutions based on innovative applications of AI, big data, VR, AR and 5G in culture and tourism. Among them, the "Roaming Beijing Suburbs" smart platform connects scattered suburban cultural tourism resources; the CASBOT band robot pioneers human-machine collaborative performance; the Beijingfang digital experience space closes the loop from cultural experience to consumption; iFlytek AI transl…

North China Camping Market Moves Toward Maturity and Value for Money

The 2026 Shijiazhuang RV and Camping Festival was held from 10 to 13 September at the Hutuo River Art Ecological Island in Zhengding county. iiMedia Research data shows growth stabilising after a high-growth phase, with the core camping economy expected to approach 500 billion yuan by 2030. Liu Xiaolong, secretary-general of the Beijing RV, Camping and Self-Driving Tourism Association, said the northern peak season runs from April to October, with Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei resources complementing each other and Hebei becoming a key weekend destination. Equipment vendors report a shift from full-kit purchases to lightweight, on-demand buying.

2026 CIFTIS Closes at Shougang Park with New Cultural Tourism Experiences

The 2026 China International Fair for Trade in Services (CIFTIS) was held at Shougang Park in Beijing from September 9 to 13, with new cultural tourism experiences serving as a key highlight. The fair produced over 1,200 outcomes across seven categories, drew exhibitors and delegations from 90 countries, regions and international organizations, and hosted more than 1,830 offline and 5,300 online exhibitors. As of 12:00 on September 13, the core activity area recorded nearly 420,000 visits, up 36.6% year on year. The provincial, regional and Hong Kong/Macao/Taiwan exhibition area showcased service trade achievements, with Guangxi appearing for the first time as guest province of honor. The c…

Nikolai Fechin Painting Exhibition to Open at National Art Museum of China on September 29

On September 14, the National Art Museum of China held a media briefing announcing that "Salute to the Master: Nikolai Fechin Painting Exhibition" will run from September 29, 2026 to February 14, 2027 at the museum. The exhibition is co-hosted by the National Art Museum of China, the State Museum of Fine Arts of the Republic of Tatarstan, the Museum of the Russian Academy of Arts and the Vasnetsov Brothers Art Museum in Vyatka, bringing together 75 paintings and drawings by Fechin, including "Cabbage Harvest Season," "Self-Portrait" and "Portrait of the Father." It presents his creative path through three sections: "From Sketch to Painting," "From Apprentice to Master" and "From Russia to t…

National Great Wall Protection Work Conference Held in Yanqing, Beijing

On September 12, the National Great Wall Protection Work Conference was held in Yanqing, Beijing. Rao Quan, Vice Minister of Culture and Tourism and Director of the National Cultural Heritage Administration, attended and spoke; Beijing Vice Mayor Sima Hong delivered remarks; Qiao Yunfei, Deputy Director of the National Cultural Heritage Administration, chaired the meeting. The conference reviewed progress since the 18th CPC National Congress, analyzed problems and challenges, and required localities to follow the Great Wall Protection Master Plan: refine protection status, implement tiered protection, strengthen the "four haves" work, enhance systematic protection, deepen interpretation and…

2026 China Summer Tourism Market Insight Report Released

On September 12, at the 2026 China International Fair for Trade in Services results release hall, the event "New Momentum for Culture and Tourism, New Consumption Trends — 2026 China Summer Tourism Market Research Release" was held. The 2026 China Summer Tourism Market Insight Report, co-authored by the China Media Group Research Institute, the Communication Working Committee of the China Tourism Association and the China Tourism Group Research Institute, was officially released and simultaneously launched on multiple platforms with Ctrip, Tongcheng Travel, Meituan, Douyin Life Services and Xiaohongshu. The roughly 13,000-character report analyzes market size, customer structure, consumptio…

CIFTIS Debuts a Wave of New Cultural Creative Products

On September 10, at the 2026 China International Fair for Trade in Services in Shougang Park, a large batch of debut cultural creative products appeared in Hall 7's culture and tourism services exhibition and Hall 9's culture and tourism consumption area, turning historical IP, industrial heritage and natural elements into brooches, ornaments and daily goods. The National Botanical Garden brought nine series and more than 100 classic items plus 56 debut products; Shougang Cultural Creative presented over 50 products including quicksand glow fridge magnets, movable industrial-element magnets, steel microstructure silk scarves and a Shougang-Dingyao co-branded coffee cup; the "Beijing Gifts"…

CIFTIS Showcases XR, Robotics, and MR Tourism Applications

China Tourism News reported that on September 10, CIFTIS venues showcased hands-on 'technology plus tourism' experiences. VITURE's XR glasses allow virtual tours of sites such as the Temple of Heaven and cover commuting, walking, and travel scenarios; Beijing Qiyuan Phoenix Technology presented digital heritage restoration, with a 'Longteng Wanli XR' store near Mutianyu Great Wall digitizing the site across historical periods. Capital Museum launched an MR experience. Songyan Power robots serve children's interaction and exhibition-hall guidance; two robots at the Beijing cultural-relics zone acted as shopkeeper and assistant to introduce artworks. Zhejiang Owei Technology's XR experience v…

Influencer Hiking Guides Lead to Rescues; Experts Explain Liability and Platform Duties

A woman in Beijing followed an influencer hiking guide into the mountains alone, found the actual terrain far harder than described, got lost in rain and fog with visibility under 5 metres and no headlamp, and was rescued by 15 team members after a seven-hour overnight operation. Experts say hikers, as fully capable adults, generally bear primary or full responsibility; guide publishers' liability depends on identity, purpose, profit motive and fault, with higher duties for commercial operators and high-reach influencers. Platforms may bear joint liability if they fail to act on risky content, including unopened wild areas promoted as routes.

Impact and considerations

Risks around outdoor recreation and social-media guides involve personal safety liability, platform content-review duties and industry rating oversight, offering compliance reference for outdoor tourism operators.

Beijing Plan Promotes Digital-Intelligent Integration of Culture, Commerce, Tourism, Sports and Exh…

The Beijing municipal government recently issued the Digital Economy Development Plan for Beijing's 15th Five-Year Plan period, explicitly promoting digital-intelligent integration of culture, commerce, tourism, sports and exhibitions; digital collection and labeling of cultural resources; resource libraries including smart libraries, digital museums, digital art galleries and digital intangible-heritage archives; new formats such as 'beyond-venue' performances, immersive exhibitions and virtual-real integrated guided tours and shopping; and AI application in major sports events and training. A special column deploys the digital audiovisual 'beyond-venue' promotion project, proposing to upg…

Tuniu Releases 2026 Mid-Autumn and National Day Travel Trend Forecast

Tuniu released its 2026 Mid-Autumn and National Day travel trend forecast, showing that booking and travel cycles for outbound and long-haul domestic trips shifted notably earlier. Families and three-generation groups accounted for over 70% of travelers; among those on National Day tours from October 1 to 7, over 35% departed before the holiday and over 10% left before Mid-Autumn to avoid crowds. Long-haul domestic travel led demand, with growing shares for independent travel and small pure-play groups, while short-haul outbound private groups were popular.

China's National Tourism Standardization Committee Opens Call for International Tourism Standard Pr…

On 11 September, China's National Tourism Standardization Technical Committee issued a notice calling for international tourism standard proposals, to implement the National Standardization Development Outline and leverage its role as the domestic technical counterpart to ISO/TC228. Submissions must include an application form, drafting notes, and Chinese-English draft standards, due by 11 October 2026. Priority areas include diving services, sustainable tourism, accommodation services, gastronomy tourism, business travel, smart tourism, and new tourism formats.

Fifth Meteorological Economy Forum Held in Beijing, Focusing on Energy-Meteorology Integration

On September 10, 2026, the Fifth Meteorological Economy Forum was held in Beijing as one of the thematic forums of the 2026 China International Fair for Trade in Services, co-hosted by the China Meteorological Service Association, the Global Energy Interconnection Development and Cooperation Organization and Huanqiu.com. Under the theme of the 15th Five-Year Plan launch: climate change and resilient coordination of green energy, it focused on AI meteorology, new power systems, green energy and climate governance. Results released included a national wind and solar resource survey, a global annual renewable power generation forecast, and a meteorological solution for new power systems.