China’s Cultural Tourism Industry Enters a New Era of Experience, Technology and Global Demand

China’s tourism industry is entering a fascinating new chapter.

The story is no longer simply about how many people visit a destination, how many hotel rooms are occupied, or how much money travelers spend during a holiday. Increasingly, China’s cultural and tourism sector is becoming an ecosystem where heritage, entertainment, technology, transportation, investment, storytelling and consumer experience are closely connected.

The August 2024 Asia (China) Cultural and Tourism Industry Development Report, published by 36Kr’s Space Detective, offers an unusually broad view of this transformation. Instead of looking at tourism through one statistic, the report brings together international tourism movements, China’s domestic summer travel market, visa facilitation, tourism-company leadership changes, investment transactions and a large pipeline of cultural-tourism projects.

Taken together, these developments reveal something important: China’s tourism recovery is not happening through a single trend.

It is happening through many smaller changes at the same time.

Domestic travelers are continuing to explore their own country. International tourism is gradually becoming more accessible. Cities are investing in immersive entertainment. Tourism companies are reshaping their portfolios. Technology is moving deeper into attractions. And traditional cultural resources are increasingly being packaged into experiences designed for modern travelers.

That combination could have a lasting influence on the future of China’s tourism economy.

A Tourism Market That Is Becoming More Experience-Driven

For many years, tourism in China was strongly associated with sightseeing.

Travelers visited famous mountains, ancient towns, historic monuments and major city landmarks. The destination itself was often the product.

That model is changing.

Today’s traveler increasingly wants something to do, not simply something to see. A visitor may still want to photograph an ancient building, but they may also want to participate in a cultural performance, enter an immersive story, explore a themed environment, experience local food, follow a film or game-related route, or stay inside a destination that feels like an extension of the attraction itself.

This shift is visible in the projects highlighted in the August report.

One example is the Guilin Sunac Fengshen Fantasy Performing Arts City, which officially opened after an extensive upgrade in August. Rather than treating the traditional Fengshen IP merely as decorative material, the project reportedly developed it into a broader fictional world and introduced an immersive drama-and-play system featuring multiple storylines and interactive performers.

The significance of such a project goes beyond one attraction.

It demonstrates how China’s cultural tourism developers are attempting to move from the traditional “attraction model” toward an experience economy.

A visitor is no longer simply purchasing admission.

They are purchasing a story.

They are purchasing participation.

They are purchasing memories.

And increasingly, they are purchasing something that can be shared digitally after the trip.

That last point is particularly important in the age of short-video platforms and social media. A destination that creates visually distinctive, interactive and emotionally engaging experiences can potentially continue attracting attention long after a visitor leaves.

China’s Domestic Tourism Market Shows Extraordinary Scale

The scale of China’s domestic tourism market remains one of the most important foundations of the country’s cultural tourism economy.

According to the figures cited in the August report from China’s Ministry of Culture and Tourism, domestic travel during the summer holiday period reached approximately 1.12 billion trips, while tourism revenue exceeded 1.55 trillion yuan. The report describes the performance as a new high for the summer tourism market.

Those figures help explain why tourism development in China cannot be understood simply through the number of international arrivals.

China possesses a huge internal travel market capable of supporting destinations, hotels, restaurants, transportation providers, cultural venues, theme parks and entertainment companies even when international travel patterns fluctuate.

The transportation figures underline the same point.

During the summer travel period, China’s national railway system carried approximately 954 million passengers, while civil aviation transported about 151 million passengers, according to the report.

Behind those numbers are millions of individual travel decisions.

Families looking for summer destinations.

Students traveling during school holidays.

Young people visiting cities for entertainment.

Travelers returning to historically important destinations.

Visitors searching for cooler mountain environments.

And increasingly, tourists building trips around specific cultural experiences.

The diversity of this demand is changing the way destinations think about tourism.

A destination no longer has to rely entirely on one famous landmark.

It can build an entire ecosystem around food, culture, entertainment, shopping, accommodation and experiences.

The Rise of Cultural IP in Tourism

One of the most interesting themes emerging from China’s tourism development is the growing relationship between intellectual property and destinations.

The traditional tourism model often began with a physical place.

The newer model can begin with a story.

That story might come from mythology, literature, television, cinema, games, animation or local history.

The Fengshen-themed development in Guilin illustrates this approach. The project reportedly sought to transform Fengshen from a visual theme into a complete world with multiple storylines and interactive performances.

This strategy reflects a larger change in consumer behavior.

Younger travelers often discover destinations through content before they ever decide to visit them.

A television series can make an ancient city suddenly interesting.

A video game can introduce players to Chinese mythology.

A short video can turn an ordinary street into a travel hotspot.

A concert can encourage fans to travel to another city.

A cultural festival can become a reason for an entire weekend trip.

Tourism therefore increasingly intersects with the content economy.

The destination and the story reinforce each other.

This creates opportunities for Chinese cities that may not possess internationally famous landmarks but have strong cultural narratives that can be developed creatively.

Technology Is Moving From the Background to the Center

Another major development is the increasingly visible role of technology in tourism.

Technology has always supported travel.

Online booking platforms, digital payments, mapping services and mobile applications have already transformed how people plan trips.

But the next stage is different.

Technology is becoming part of the attraction itself.

The August report highlights a proposed cooperation involving Chimelong Group and Zhiyuan Innovation Technology to develop an embodied-intelligence-themed cultural tourism project in Hengqin. The concept reportedly includes humanoid-robot performances, intelligent themed hotels, robot interaction throughout the park and a joint laboratory focused on tourism technology.

Whether individual projects ultimately achieve their original ambitions is a separate question. What matters from an industry perspective is the direction of investment.

Tourism companies are increasingly asking:

How can artificial intelligence become part of the visitor experience?

How can robotics improve service?

How can immersive technologies make attractions more interactive?

How can technology help destinations tell stories differently?

And perhaps most importantly:

How can technology make a physical trip feel unique in an era when travelers can see almost everything online?

The answer is unlikely to be simply “more screens.”

The strongest applications of technology will probably be those that enhance the physical experience rather than replace it.

A robot that interacts naturally with visitors may be memorable.

An intelligent hotel that responds to guest needs may improve convenience.

An immersive performance that combines physical scenery, digital effects and interactive storytelling may create a deeper emotional connection.

The technology itself is not necessarily the destination.

The experience is.

Visa Policies Are Helping Reconnect China With International Tourism

Domestic tourism represents the foundation of China’s travel economy, but international tourism remains strategically important.

The August report highlights several developments in China’s visa facilitation policies.

From August 20, 2024, Kyrgyzstan and Vietnam were added to the countries covered by China’s 240-hour transit visa-free policy, according to the report. It also notes that ordinary passport holders from the two countries could benefit from a 30-day visa-free entry policy in Hainan. The report stated that the 240-hour transit visa-free program then covered 57 countries, while Hainan’s visa-free policy covered 61.

These measures are significant because travel decisions are influenced by friction.

A traveler may want to visit a country but reconsider if the visa process is complicated, expensive or time-consuming.

Simplifying entry can therefore influence the entire tourism chain.

Airlines benefit from additional demand.

Hotels gain potential international guests.

Restaurants gain new customers.

Museums receive more overseas visitors.

Shopping districts benefit.

Tour operators gain opportunities.

And destinations have a larger international audience for their cultural products.

The report also notes that online travel platforms recorded strong growth in inbound tourism bookings, with booking volume for inbound tourism products reportedly increasing more than sixfold year over year in the relevant comparison.

That does not mean every international tourism market has fully normalized at the same pace.

It does, however, demonstrate how policy changes can interact with pent-up demand.

China’s Outbound Tourism Is Equally Important

China is not only a destination.

It is also one of the world’s most important tourism source markets.

The August report shows how Chinese travelers were continuing to influence tourism markets across Asia.

In Vietnam, Chinese visitors represented the largest international source market during the first eight months of the year covered by the report, with approximately 3.54 million Chinese tourists, accounting for around 22.3% of Vietnam’s total international arrivals during that period.

Thailand also continued to rely heavily on Chinese travelers. The report says China was Thailand’s largest source market during the first seven months, with approximately 3.078 million visitors.

These figures demonstrate the interconnected nature of Asian tourism.

When Chinese outbound travelers increase or change their preferences, neighboring tourism markets can feel the effect quickly.

Airlines adjust routes.

Hotels adjust marketing.

Tour operators develop Chinese-language services.

Retailers adapt.

Destinations create new products.

This means China’s cultural tourism development should not be viewed solely within China’s borders.

It is part of a much larger Asian tourism system.

Vietnam Shows the Strength of Regional Tourism Connections

Vietnam provides another interesting example.

According to the report, Vietnam received approximately 1.99 million international tourists in August, representing an 18.4% year-over-year increase. During the first eight months, international arrivals reached approximately 15.91 million, up 14.4% year over year.

The numbers illustrate how quickly regional tourism can respond when travel demand, air connectivity and market access align.

Vietnam’s relationship with China is particularly important.

With Chinese tourists representing approximately 22.3% of Vietnam’s international arrivals during the first eight months in the report, the Chinese market was clearly an important component of Vietnam’s recovery and growth story.

For tourism planners across Asia, this is a reminder that the future of travel is increasingly regional.

Travelers do not necessarily think in terms of isolated national markets.

They build multi-country trips.

They compare prices.

They follow airline routes.

They respond to visa rules.

And they move toward destinations that offer the best combination of accessibility, value and experience.

Thailand Illustrates the Uneven Nature of Recovery

Thailand’s tourism numbers in the report provide an important counterpoint.

The country welcomed more than 18.5 million foreign visitors during the first eight months, but arrivals were approximately 3.2% lower year over year. Tourism revenue during the period was reported at roughly 896.2 billion baht.

The lesson is straightforward: tourism recovery is rarely a straight line.

A destination can remain extremely popular while simultaneously experiencing changes in visitor composition.

Different source markets recover at different speeds.

Travelers respond to exchange rates, airline capacity, prices, perceptions, visa policies and economic conditions.

For China, this matters because Chinese outbound travelers are an important component of the broader Asian tourism economy.

The future may therefore depend not simply on bringing back the largest possible number of visitors, but on developing products that respond to what different visitor segments actually want.

Europe’s Tourism Story Shows the Power of Events

The August report also places China’s tourism development inside a global context.

Europe experienced strong tourism activity in several markets, with cultural events and unusual natural phenomena acting as powerful travel motivators.

Spain, for example, benefited from the total solar eclipse on August 12. The report cites research from BBVA Research showing that overseas tourists’ offline spending in Spanish provinces experiencing total eclipse coverage rose 25.7% year over year during the relevant week, compared with national growth of 13.8%.

This is a valuable lesson for destination marketers.

Tourism demand does not always require a new permanent attraction.

Sometimes the event itself becomes the attraction.

Music festivals.

Art festivals.

Sporting events.

Astronomical phenomena.

Food festivals.

Cultural celebrations.

Temporary exhibitions.

All can create a reason to travel at a particular moment.

China has enormous potential in this area because of its historical calendar, regional cultural diversity and large number of cities capable of hosting major events.

The challenge is to turn events into sustainable tourism ecosystems rather than short-lived spikes.

Investment Is Moving Toward More Diverse Tourism Assets

Another major feature of the August report is the amount of investment and corporate restructuring taking place within the cultural tourism sector.

The report identifies six tourism companies experiencing investment or equity changes during the month.

One particularly notable case involved Haichang Ocean Park.

According to the report, a transaction involving approximately 2.875 billion shares was agreed for around HK$1.114 billion, resulting in HH SeaPark Holding becoming a major shareholder with a 21.75% stake.

Elsewhere, Tianfu Cultural Tourism announced plans to acquire a 34.30% interest in the company operating the Bipenggou scenic area for approximately 174 million yuan, reflecting an expansion into ice-and-snow tourism and destination assets.

These transactions reveal an important characteristic of the modern tourism industry.

Tourism companies are not simply building hotels anymore.

They are assembling portfolios.

A portfolio can include scenic areas, entertainment, accommodation, cinemas, cultural venues, theme parks and destination-management businesses.

That diversification can provide multiple revenue sources while allowing companies to build larger destination ecosystems.

The Corporate Side of Tourism Is Changing Too

The report also records significant leadership changes across Chinese cultural tourism enterprises.

Nine cultural tourism companies experienced notable personnel changes during August, according to the ABN Cultural Tourism Brand Monitoring Directory cited by the report.

Among the companies mentioned are Three Gorges Tourism, Zhangjiajie Tourism Group, Haichang Ocean Park, CYTS, Songcheng Performance and Sanya Tourism and Culture Investment Group.

Personnel changes can look like routine corporate news, but they are worth watching because leadership influences investment priorities.

A new chairman or chief executive may place greater emphasis on:

digital tourism,

asset restructuring,

international markets,

theme parks,

cultural IP,

hotel development,

technology,

or destination operations.

The broader point is that China’s tourism sector is becoming more corporate and investment-driven.

The industry is no longer simply a collection of scenic destinations.

It is increasingly an organized business ecosystem involving listed companies, state-owned enterprises, private investors, technology firms, hospitality groups and entertainment companies.

From Idle Assets to New Tourism Opportunities

One of the more interesting developments highlighted in the report is the effort to revive or repurpose existing tourism assets.

The Zhengkai Fairy Tale World project in Kaifeng reportedly resumed construction after previously being stalled. Kaifeng’s cultural investment group and another company took over the previously idle tourism land, added an investment of approximately 1.8 billion yuan and planned a destination combining family entertainment, live performances and themed commercial activity.

This approach is significant.

Tourism development does not always require building something completely new.

Sometimes the greater opportunity lies in identifying an underused asset and giving it a new purpose.

That can reduce the economic waste associated with abandoned or underperforming projects.

It can also create opportunities for cities with existing infrastructure but limited new land availability.

The future of China’s tourism development may therefore involve two parallel strategies:

new destination creation and existing asset regeneration.

Both can contribute to local economies, but they require different investment models and management strategies.

The New Tourism Economy Is Becoming More Specialized

Another lesson from the August report is the growing specialization of tourism products.

Consider the project involving low-altitude tourism in Foshan’s Shunde district.

A cooperation agreement was signed for a flying camp involving activities such as paragliding and hot-air balloon experiences, with an investment of around 12 million yuan, according to the report.

This type of development represents the expansion of tourism beyond traditional sightseeing.

Travelers increasingly want activities.

They want adventure.

They want wellness.

They want entertainment.

They want sports.

They want cultural participation.

They want experiences that feel distinctive.

This creates opportunities for smaller destinations.

A city does not necessarily need a world-famous monument if it can develop a compelling experience around its landscape, history, culture or geography.

The Meaning of “Culture” Is Expanding

Perhaps the most important development is the changing definition of cultural tourism itself.

Culture used to mean museums, monuments, traditional architecture and historical sites.

Those remain important.

But culture now also includes:

music,

food,

film,

gaming,

fashion,

mythology,

performing arts,

festivals,

design,

technology,

local lifestyles,

and contemporary entertainment.

This broader definition is particularly powerful for China.

The country has thousands of years of history, but it also has a rapidly evolving contemporary culture.

Tourism can connect the two.

A traveler might visit an ancient city in the morning, eat regional cuisine at lunch, attend a modern immersive performance in the evening and stay in a technologically advanced hotel at night.

That is not a contradiction.

It is the new cultural tourism experience.

Why Immersive Tourism Matters

Immersive tourism deserves particular attention because it responds directly to how modern travelers consume entertainment.

People are accustomed to interactive digital experiences.

They watch stories on streaming platforms.

They play games rather than simply watching them.

They participate in online communities.

They share travel experiences through short videos.

The tourism industry therefore faces a simple challenge:

How can a physical destination provide an experience that feels equally engaging?

Immersive tourism is one answer.

The Guilin Fengshen project’s combination of multiple storylines and live performers illustrates this direction.

Instead of walking through an attraction passively, visitors become part of the story.

That can increase the emotional value of a trip.

It can also increase the amount of time visitors spend inside a destination, creating additional opportunities for dining, shopping, accommodation and entertainment.

A New Relationship Between Tourism and Technology

Technology also changes how destinations understand their visitors.

Digital platforms can reveal what travelers search for.

Booking systems can show demand patterns.

Social media can identify emerging attractions.

Artificial intelligence can potentially personalize recommendations.

Robotics can support hospitality.

Immersive technology can expand storytelling.

Data can help destinations understand visitor flows.

But technology must remain connected to genuine tourism value.

A destination cannot become successful simply because it contains artificial intelligence or robots.

Visitors ultimately judge the experience.

Was it enjoyable?

Was it comfortable?

Was it memorable?

Was it worth the money?

Did it feel authentic?

Those questions remain as important as ever.

The best technological innovations will likely be those that make the answers more positive without overwhelming the cultural identity of the destination.

Authenticity Could Become the Next Competitive Advantage

As more destinations adopt similar technologies, authenticity may become increasingly valuable.

If every tourism destination eventually has an AI guide, interactive screens and immersive attractions, technology alone will no longer distinguish one place from another.

Local identity will.

The taste of a regional dish.

The architecture of an old neighborhood.

A traditional festival.

A local craft.

A story passed down through generations.

A landscape that cannot be reproduced elsewhere.

This is why the combination of technology and cultural authenticity matters.

Technology can help tell the story.

It should not erase the story.

For China, this creates a major opportunity.

The country has an enormous inventory of cultural resources that can be presented to modern audiences without losing their historical character.

Sustainability Will Become Increasingly Important

The scale of China’s tourism market also creates challenges.

When hundreds of millions of people travel during peak seasons, destinations must manage congestion, transportation, waste, environmental pressure and cultural preservation.

The next phase of tourism growth therefore cannot focus only on increasing visitor numbers.

Destination managers will need to think about visitor distribution.

Can travelers be encouraged to visit during different seasons?

Can secondary cities benefit from tourism rather than concentrating demand in famous destinations?

Can digital reservations reduce overcrowding?

Can public transportation absorb peak demand?

Can heritage sites maintain their authenticity under growing visitor pressure?

These questions are becoming more important as tourism expands.

The most successful destinations of the future may not necessarily be those that attract the largest crowds.

They may be those that manage visitors most intelligently.

What the August Report Tells Us About the Future

When the different parts of the August report are placed together, a much larger picture appears.

China’s tourism industry is moving simultaneously in several directions.

It is becoming more international.

It is becoming more digital.

It is becoming more experience-driven.

It is becoming more investment-oriented.

It is becoming more closely connected with entertainment.

And it is becoming more dependent on cultural storytelling.

The 1.12 billion domestic summer trips show the enormous strength of the domestic market. The expansion of visa facilitation shows the effort to reconnect China with international travelers. The investment transactions show that tourism assets remain strategically important. The 116 newly signed key tourism projects demonstrate continued development activity. And projects built around immersive entertainment, robotics and low-altitude experiences show how quickly the definition of tourism is expanding.

None of these trends exists in isolation.

They reinforce each other.

A technology-enabled attraction needs tourism demand.

Tourism demand needs transportation.

International demand needs accessible visa policies.

Cultural attractions need investment.

Investment needs strong visitor experiences.

And visitor experiences increasingly depend on compelling stories.

That is the emerging tourism ecosystem.

China’s Tourism Industry Is No Longer Just About Places

Perhaps the biggest takeaway from the August 2024 report is that the future of Chinese tourism will be determined by how destinations make people feel, not simply by where they are.

A famous mountain is valuable.

An ancient city is valuable.

A historic temple is valuable.

But the modern traveler wants more than a photograph.

They want a story they can enter.

A meal they can remember.

A performance they can talk about.

A place they can share with friends.

An experience that feels personal.

This is why cultural tourism has become such an important part of China’s broader consumer economy.

It connects physical destinations with entertainment, technology, hospitality, transportation, retail and media.

The tourism product is no longer one building, one attraction or one scenic view.

It is the entire journey.

The Road Ahead

China’s cultural tourism sector still faces challenges.

Economic conditions can influence discretionary spending.

Travel costs can affect demand.

International tourism remains sensitive to air connectivity and visa rules.

Large tourism projects require substantial capital and careful management.

Technology can create excitement but also raises questions about cost, maintenance and long-term visitor appeal.

And destinations must balance commercial development with cultural and environmental protection.

Yet the direction of travel is clear.

The industry is experimenting with new formats.

Investors are looking for new tourism assets.

Cities are revitalizing existing projects.

Companies are integrating entertainment with hospitality.

Technology companies are entering tourism.

And cultural stories are becoming commercial experiences.

The result is a tourism industry that looks very different from the one that existed a decade ago.

China’s enormous domestic market gives this transformation a powerful foundation. Its growing international connectivity gives it an increasingly global dimension. And its cultural depth provides an almost limitless supply of stories that can be translated into contemporary travel experiences.

The August 2024 Asia (China) Cultural and Tourism Industry Development Report therefore offers more than a monthly collection of statistics and corporate announcements.

It provides a snapshot of an industry in transition.

The most important shift may be this:

Tourism is no longer simply about traveling to a place. It is becoming about entering an experience.

For China, that experience is increasingly being built at the intersection of culture, technology, investment, entertainment and human curiosity.

And that could define the next generation of Chinese tourism.

Editor’s Note on the Source

This article is based primarily on the August 2024 Asia (China) Cultural and Tourism Industry Development Report published by 36Kr/Space Detective, including its coverage of global tourism trends, China’s domestic and cross-border tourism market, corporate developments, investment activity and cultural-tourism projects.

The 36Kr page currently accessible online contains some apparent date inconsistencies in portions of its English rendering, including references to later-year forecasts. For that reason, this article treats the report’s stated August 2024 developments as the central subject and avoids presenting later-dated material as evidence about August 2024. The original Chinese-language version is also available on 36Kr.

Why This Matters for Global Tourism

China’s cultural tourism transformation should not be viewed as an isolated national story.

It is part of a broader Asian tourism shift.

Vietnam is benefiting from stronger regional travel demand.

Thailand remains heavily connected to Chinese outbound tourism.

European destinations are using festivals and special events to generate travel demand.

Technology is becoming part of the visitor experience worldwide.

And travelers everywhere are becoming more interested in experiences rather than conventional sightseeing alone.

For tourism businesses, destination managers and investors, the message is increasingly difficult to ignore.

The next generation of tourism will belong to destinations that can combine accessibility, authenticity, storytelling, technology and memorable human experiences.

China is already experimenting with that combination at enormous scale.

The results will be watched not only by Chinese tourism companies, but by the global travel industry.

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About the Author: Zoey
Zoey is a passionate travel writer and researcher at VentureWibe, dedicated to bringing readers the latest global travel news, inspiring destination guides, and tourism trends from around the world. With a keen eye for uncovering unique travel stories, Zoey helps explorers stay informed and prepared for their next adventures.

Expertise: Global Tourism, Destination Research, and Travel Insights