World Conference on Tourism Cooperation and Development 2026 Held in Beijing

On September 9, the World Conference on Tourism Cooperation and Development 2026, hosted by the World Tourism Cities Federation (WTCF) and organized by the Beijing Municipal Bureau of Culture and Tourism, kicked off at Shougang International Convention and Exhibition Center in Beijing.

On September 9, the World Conference on Tourism Cooperation and Development 2026, hosted by the World Tourism Cities Federation (WTCF) and organized by the Beijing Municipal Bureau of Culture and Tourism, kicked off at Shougang International Convention and Exhibition Center in Beijing. Under the theme “Smart Tourism, Shared Prosperity”, the event brought together over 400 participants from more than 50 countries and regions, including representatives of WTCF member cities, heads of international organizations, diplomatic missions in China, international travel operators, industry enterprises, experts and scholars. They jointly explored cooperation pathways and development trends of the global tourism industry in the era of smart tourism. The event received support from multiple international organizations including the Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA), the Global Tourism Economy Forum (GTEF) and the World Tourism Alliance (WTA), with Air China Limited as the special partner.

The conference featured sessions including opening remarks, outcome releases, signing ceremonies and a tourism business matchmaking event. Focusing on cross-border tourism cooperation and digital intelligence empowerment of the culture and tourism industry, it built a platform for global tourism cities to conduct dialogue, industrial matchmaking and resource showcasing.

International Guests Gather to Discuss New Pathways for Tourism Development

The opening ceremony was presided over by Guo Huaigang, Secretary General of the WTCF and Director General of the Beijing Municipal Bureau of Culture and Tourism. Participating guests held in-depth discussions and exchanged experience under the theme “Smart Tourism, Shared Prosperity”.

Mr. Olaf McKay, Mayor of Valletta, Malta, noted that tourism performance should not be measured solely by visitor volume. It must also take into account resident well-being, business returns, cultural heritage protection and ecological carrying capacity. He stated that the WTCF and this conference have built a high-quality cooperation platform that brings together city administrators, tourism organizations, research forces and industrial partners to jointly address industry challenges and unlock development opportunities.

Speech by Mr Olaf McKay, Mayor of Valletta, Malta

Ms. Ben Montgomery, Vice Chair of the Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA), pointed out that digital technologies are profoundly reshaping the tourism industry. The theme of this conference “Smart Tourism, Shared Prosperity” aligns with the current realities of tourism industry, and the WTCF provides an important platform for all parties to exchange and collaborate. The value of tourism lies in interpersonal connections, cultural mutual learning and international understanding, and the development of digital tourism must balance commercial direction with equitable benefit sharing.

Speech by Ms Ben Montgomery, Vice Chair of the Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA)

Mr. Dai Bin, President of the China Tourism Academy, stated that international tourism is "service trade completed through people's mobility". Tourism brings international visitors closer to real life in China, and gives them the most direct experience and assessment of China's services. In 2026, China's inbound tourism is expected to maintain double-digit growth, with Beijing growing at an even faster pace. Beijing has launched “Ten Application Scenarios of Science and Technology in the Field of Cultural Tourism in Beijing”, providing a referential model for AI applications in the global culture and tourism sector. A series of facilitation measures, including one-stop visa-free transit, tap to ride metro access for international bank cards, cross-provincial tax refunds and the “GO BEIJING” platform, have comprehensively improved the travel experience of foreign visitors in Beijing.

Speech by Mr Dai Bin, President of China Tourism Academy

Key Outcomes Released to Consolidate Global Tourism City Evaluation System

During the conference, the WTCF released 121 city level scoring criteria supporting ISO 11778, the international standard for Brand Evaluation – Tourism City. Initiated and developed by the WTCF, the release of the scoring criteria marks the formation of an actionable evaluation benchmark for tourism cities, providing key practical reference for the standardized development of tourism cities worldwide.

Release of the 121 - item City Scoring Criteria for ISO 11778 — Brand Evaluation - Tourism City

Professor Joseph Lema, WTCF expert and tenured professor at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, released the World Tourism Cities Development Report (2025–2026). The report conducted a comprehensive assessment of 100 tourism cities worldwide across six dimensions, including city popularity, industry prosperity and smart-city capability. According to the report, the top 10 tourism cities in the 2025–2026 overall ranking are New York, Tokyo, Paris, London, Beijing, Shanghai, Hong Kong, Milan, Istanbul and Dubai. Beijing ranked 5th, up two places from the previous year.

Release of the World Tourism Cities Development Report (2025–2026)

Signing Ceremonies Held to Accelerate Practical Inbound Tourism Cooperation

Multiple cooperation signing ceremonies were held at the conference. Ms. Zheng Fang, Deputy Director General of the Beijing Municipal Bureau of Culture and Tourism, and Ms. Zhu Baoxia, Deputy President of China Daily, jointly launched the China Bound · Beijing English-Language Smart Tourism Service Platform. The platform features nine sections: Uniquely in Beijing, Know Before You Go, Taste of Beijing, Trending Places, What to Buy, Where to Stay, Living Traditions, Countryside Getaways, Festivals & Events. It will systematically showcase Beijing's inbound tourism resources and provide information and services for overseas visitors to facilitate their travel in the city.

Ms Zheng Fang, Deputy Director General of Beijing Municipal Bureau of Culture and Tourism, and Ms Zhu Baoxia, Deputy President of China Daily, jointly launch the ‘China Bound · Beijing’ English-Language Smart Tourism Service Platform

Mr. Rong Xinfeng, Chairman of Beijing Badaling Cultural and Tourism Group Co., Ltd., and Mr. Zheng Xiaofei, CEO of Mastercard NetsUnion, signed the Memorandum of Understanding between Badaling Culture and Tourism Group and Mastercard on Jointly Promoting High-Quality Development of Tourism. Leveraging the Great Wall as a world-class cultural heritage, the group's mature comprehensive tourism service capabilities, as well as the globally accepted Mastercard payment network and diverse acceptance channels, the two sides will jointly build the Badaling Great Wall Scenic Area into China's first "World Cultural Heritage Inbound Payment Demonstration Scenic Area".

Mr Rong Xinfeng, Chairman of Beijing Badaling Cultural and Tourism Group Co., Ltd., and Mr Zheng Xiaofei, CEO of Mastercard NetsUnion, sign the Memorandum of Understanding between Badaling Culture and Tourism Group and Mastercard on Jointly Promoting High-Quality Development of Tourism

Following that, the Beijing Inbound Tourism Cooperation Signing Ceremony was held. WTCF member units including China International Travel Service Head Office, Beijing Tourism Group Travel Development, Beijing Bestour Travel and Utour Youbili (Beijing) International Travel Service signed agreements on-site with international travel agencies from Singapore, Saudi Arabia, Belarus, Turkey, the Czech Republic, Russia, Thailand, Vietnam and other countries. The parties reached multiple cooperation agreements in key areas such as inbound tourist delivery, cross-border payment and settlement, and cultural and tourism technology innovation, laying a solid foundation for the expansion of Beijing's inbound tourism market and the deepening of international cultural and tourism cooperation.

Beijing Inbound Tourism Cooperation Signing Ceremony Held with International Travel Agencies from Multiple Countries Signing On-Site

Promotion and Matchmaking Build Bridges to Connect the Entire Supply-Demand Chain

The conference organized a tourism business matchmaking event, bringing together over 80 overseas travel operators from major source markets in Asia-Pacific, Europe and North America, and more than 110 local Beijing culture and tourism enterprises. It built a global platform for practical cultural and tourism cooperation, supporting high-quality development of Beijing's inbound tourism. On-site guests exchanged views on digital intelligence technologies, aviation connectivity, technology application, cultural and tourism resource development, and foreign-related service guarantees. Outcomes including Beijing's digital culture and tourism services, AR real-time translation glasses, continuously increasing international air routes, high-end MICE and vacation resources at Yanqi Lake, and comprehensive insurance for foreign inbound visitors addressed key pain points of overseas tourists such as language barriers, travel inconveniences and medical security, enriching the supply of inbound tourism products. Following the thematic promotion, one-on-one targeted matchmaking was launched. Chinese and foreign enterprises conducted nearly 2,000 one-on-one meetings across 10 rounds, efficiently matching supply and demand and further deepening Sino-foreign cultural and tourism exchanges and industrial cooperation.

Diverse Exhibition Zones Unveiled Simultaneously to Unlock Multilateral Platform Potential

Indoor and outdoor themed exhibition zones were created to fully showcase the outcomes of the “Ten Application Scenarios of Science and Technology in the Field of Cultural Tourism in Beijing” and the strengths of WTCF member units. The indoor exhibition zone highlighted cutting-edge culture and tourism technology achievements, featuring innovative applications such as AIGC immersive experiences, AR real-time translation, glasses-free 3D holographic displays and AI-powered smart travel. It also showcased inbound tourism facilitation services including cross-border payment and fast customs clearance, bringing immersive and interactive new digital tourism experiences to participants. The outdoor exhibition zone gathered 9 international member cities of the WTCF and multiple key enterprises, promoting global distinctive cultural and tourism resources, international air routes and cross-border service outcomes, and demonstrating the unique charm and cooperation potential of the global culture and tourism industry. Air China Limited, the special partner of the conference, set up a dedicated exhibition to showcase its dual-hub collaborative pattern built around Beijing's strategic position as a national gateway hub and its globally accessible route network. Visitors could also experience Air China's comprehensive, all-scenario fine services and diverse product matrix through large screens.

Exhibition and Experience Session