Digital tech helps drive travel industry growth

'China Bound•Beijing' smart English cultural tourism platform launched

BEIJING, Sept. 10, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- A news report from China Daily:

While digital technologies are reshaping the tourism industry and making travel more efficient and accessible, they can also foster human connections and cooperation, and safeguard communities and culture to drive tourism growth, participants at a cultural and tourism event said on Wednesday.

They made the remarks during 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 conference attracted representatives of the WTCF's member cities, heads of international organizations, cross-border travel traders, diplomatic envoys to China and experts from more than 50 countries and regions.

Themed "Smart Tourism, Shared Prosperity", the conference runs through Friday and is being held amid the ongoing 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," said Olaf McKay, mayor of Valletta, the capital of Malta.

He added that China's visa-free policy is making the country more accessible for Maltese citizens, especially young people and students, enabling them to experience China's traditions and culture firsthand.

Ben Montgomery, vice-chairwoman of the Pacific Asia Travel Association, a not-for-profit membership association 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 said.

She added that the true value of the tourism industry lies in human connection — by linking visitors with local communities, bridging cultures and fostering shared understanding across 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 said.

Dai Bin, director of the China Tourism Academy, noted that tourism allows international visitors to get close to authentic daily life in China and try out Chinese services. He said that Beijing has rolled out a number of AI-backed, visitor-friendly initiatives, such as cross-regional tax refunds, providing a referable model for AI-driven cultural and tourism applications.

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

The report examines the opportunities and challenges in safety governance, technology adoption, industrial integration, cultural heritage, brand building and regional coordination, and offers forward-looking and actionable policy recommendations.

The top 10 cities in 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 said.

One-stop gateway

At the conference, China Daily and the Beijing Municipal Bureau of Culture and Tourism jointly launched the "China Bound•Beijing" English cultural tourism platform, offering international visitors a new one-stop gateway to explore Beijing.

The smart platform includes an English-language website (chinabound.cn/beijing), as well as dedicated pages on the Alipay and WeChat mini-programs of China Bound. It provides services ranging from itinerary planning to AI-powered assistance, enabling overseas travelers to experience the unique beauty of 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," said Zheng Fang, deputy director of the Beijing Municipal Bureau of Culture and Tourism.

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SOURCE China Daily