Cultural and tourism consumption market flies higher

The 2026 Beijing International Cultural Tourism Consumption Expo concluded recently at the Phase II venue of the China National Convention Center, drawing 112,000 visits over three days and generating 226 million yuan ($33.3 million) in on-site transactions.

The figures represented year-on-year increases of 8.2 percent and 6.7 percent, respectively, highlighting the strong vitality of China's cultural and tourism consumption market.

Centered on the themes of new products, new scenarios, new technologies, and new business models, the expo integrated cultural and tourism resources from around the world, created innovative consumption experiences, and promoted the upgrading and expansion of tourism-related spending.

This year's event attracted delegations from 30 cities, a 15 percent increase from last year, while the number of participating organizations rose 26 percent year-on-year to 637.

Held in conjunction with the 2026 Beijing Inbound Tourism Development Conference, the expo combined a business-to-business trade exhibition, themed showcases and public experience activities, creating a dual-driven platform that connected professional transactions with consumer engagement while fostering cooperation across the global tourism industry chain.

The international exhibition area expanded by 30 percent compared to last year and featured 33 exhibitors from 17 countries. Tourism organizations from countries including France, Uganda and Cambodia presented immersive cultural experiences, allowing visitors to explore diverse travel offerings from around the world in one venue.

The expo also leveraged digital technologies to improve business matchmaking. An intelligent supply-and-demand matching system was launched for the first time, enabling exhibitors and buyers to publish requirements online before the event, receive automated matches, conduct preliminary discussions, and complete face-to-face negotiations during the event.

The professional business negotiation area was particularly active on opening day, with travel agencies, scenic areas, hotels, and cultural creative enterprises signing cooperation agreements on-site.

A dedicated networking event connecting key Beijing hotels and travel agencies was organized to help businesses prepare for the upcoming summer travel season. The event generated intended transactions worth 27.36 million yuan.

Major industry players, including BTG Travel, Trip.com Group and Utour Group, unveiled new travel routes and promotional packages, recording on-site sales exceeding 10 million yuan.

To align with seasonal demand, exhibitors also introduced products targeting students and families during China's high school and college entrance examination season, pre-sales of Dragon Boat Festival rice dumplings, and soccer-themed cultural merchandise, all of which were well received by visitors.