Digital tech helps drive journey trade progress

‘China Bound•Beijing’ sensible English cultural tourism platform launched

BEIJING, Sept. 10, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — A information report from China Daily:

While digital applied sciences are reshaping the tourism trade and making journey extra environment friendly and accessible, they will additionally foster human connections and cooperation, and safeguard communities and tradition to drive tourism progress, members at a cultural and tourism occasion stated on Wednesday.

They made the remarks throughout the opening ceremony of the World Conference on Tourism Cooperation and Development 2026 in Beijing’s Shougang Park.

Hosted by the World Tourism Cities Federation, or WTCF, and co-organized by the Beijing Municipal Bureau of Culture and Tourism, the convention attracted representatives of the WTCF’s member cities, heads of worldwide organizations, cross-border journey merchants, diplomatic envoys to China and specialists from greater than 50 nations and areas.

Themed “Smart Tourism, Shared Prosperity”, the convention runs by way of Friday and is being held amid the continued 2026 China International Fair for Trade in Services.

“Our responsibility is not to choose between residents and visitors, but to build a model in which both can thrive. Smart tourism gives us practical tools to achieve this balance. For example, digital platforms can improve accessibility, multilingual information and journey planning,” stated Olaf McKay, mayor of Valletta, the capital of Malta.

He added that China’s visa-free coverage is making the nation extra accessible for Maltese residents, particularly younger individuals and college students, enabling them to expertise China’s traditions and tradition firsthand.

Ben Montgomery, vice-chairwoman of the Pacific Asia Travel Association, a not-for-profit membership affiliation headquartered in Bangkok, the capital of Thailand, agreed. “Artificial intelligence, data analytics and digital platforms are reshaping how people discover, book and experience destinations worldwide. As we embrace these tools, we must remember a fundamental truth: Tourism is ultimately about people,” she stated.

She added that the true worth of the tourism trade lies in human connection — by linking guests with native communities, bridging cultures and fostering shared understanding throughout borders.

“Beijing is a city where centuries of rich history seamlessly meet modern innovation. … Today is about turning ideas into practical collaborations through partnerships, matchmaking and open exchanges,” Montgomery stated.

Dai Bin, director of the China Tourism Academy, famous that tourism permits worldwide guests to get near genuine day by day life in China and check out Chinese companies. He stated that Beijing has rolled out numerous AI-backed, visitor-friendly initiatives, corresponding to cross-regional tax refunds, offering a referable mannequin for AI-driven cultural and tourism functions.

Joseph Daniel Lema, a professor on the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, the United States, unveiled the World Tourism Cities Development Report (2025-26) by the WTCF on the occasion.

The report examines the alternatives and challenges in security governance, know-how adoption, industrial integration, cultural heritage, model constructing and regional coordination, and gives forward-looking and actionable coverage suggestions.

The prime 10 cities within the World Tourism Cities Development Comprehensive Ranking are New York, Tokyo, Paris, London, Beijing, Shanghai, Hong Kong, Milan, Istanbul and Dubai.

“Beijing has moved up its ranking, reflecting the strength of cultural resources, smart governance and safety assurance,” Lema stated.

One-stop gateway

At the convention, China Daily and the Beijing Municipal Bureau of Culture and Tourism collectively launched the “China Bound•Beijing” English cultural tourism platform, providing worldwide guests a brand new one-stop gateway to discover Beijing.

The sensible platform contains an English-language web site (chinabound.cn/beijing), in addition to devoted pages on the Alipay and WeChat mini-programs of China Bound. It gives companies starting from itinerary planning to AI-powered help, enabling abroad vacationers to expertise the distinctive great thing about Beijing.

“We aim to tell Beijing’s cultural-tourism stories in a language overseas audiences understand, and translate the city’s resource advantages into inbound tourism appeal. We promote immersive experiences such as intangible cultural heritage to enable inbound visitors to stay longer for in-depth travel,” stated Zheng Fang, deputy director of the Beijing Municipal Bureau of Culture and Tourism.

SOURCE China Daily