Tianjin expo seeks to broaden tourism appeal beyond urban hot spots

Tianjin is looking beyond its familiar skyline and historic architecture to wetlands, rural experiences and traditional craftsmanship as the northern port city seeks to attract more international visitors.

The effort is on display at the 2026 China Culture and Tourism Industries Expo, which opened in Tianjin on Thursday, bringing together 2,540 enterprises from 20 countries and regions including Ethiopia, Vietnam and Cote d'Ivoire.

Nearly 100 overseas travel agencies and international tourism professionals were invited to the four-day event, which features a section dedicated to international cultural and tourism cooperation, according to Zhou Hanping, a senior official with the Department of Industrial Development of the Ministry of Culture and Tourism.

Among the overseas participants is Cote d'Ivoire, which is making its debut at the expo and using the event to promote the West African country to Chinese travelers.

"We recorded around 5,000 more Chinese tourists arriving in our country last year. We hope to welcome even more Chinese travelers and invite Chinese investors to take part in our tourism sector development," said Frederique Ada-Kouassi, director of the tourism and leisure office at the Embassy of Cote d'Ivoire in China.

For host city Tianjin, the expo also provides an opportunity to show international visitors a side of the city beyond its best-known urban attractions.

"Most foreign visitors know Tianjin for its colonial-era architecture and glittering riverside views. Yet there is another side to this city," said Zhang Xuehai, director of the Ninghe district's bureau of culture and tourism.

In Ninghe district, visitors can watch migratory birds at Qilihai Wetland or explore rural homestays and rice-field study programs. The district has developed four themed study-tour programs and several routes linking wetlands, farmland and rural communities.

"You do not have to only visit big cities to understand modern China. Rural wetlands and farmlands tell equally powerful stories," Zhang said.

In Xiqing district, meanwhile, traditional culture is taking center stage. Yangliuqing ancient town is known for its 400-year-old woodblock New Year paintings, while the district is home to 16 other intangible cultural heritage practices, including lacquerware, filigree art and traditional folding-fan craftsmanship.

Ahead of the Mid-Autumn Festival and National Day holidays, Yangliuqing has upgraded its streets and introduced new lantern displays, intangible cultural heritage workshops and canal-side performances.

"We hope the holiday season will draw more international travelers to experience our living heritage," said Ren Zhenhuai, deputy director of the Xiqing district's bureau of culture and tourism.

yandongjie@chinadaily.com.cn