Beijing is expanding its tourism offerings to provide international visitors with more varied and immersive experiences beyond its iconic landmarks such as the Forbidden City and the Great Wall. This shift reflects a broader effort to enhance the quality and diversity of tourism services across China, catering to growing demand for personalized and culturally rich travel options.
This development was a key focus at the 2026 World Conference on Tourism Cooperation and Development, held during the China International Fair for Trade in Services (CIFTIS) in Beijing. The conference highlighted new tools and standards designed to assess and improve tourism city brands. The World Tourism Cities Federation (WTCF) introduced detailed scoring criteria aligned with ISO 11778, the world’s first international standard dedicated to evaluating tourism city brands. These criteria cover a wide range of factors, including infrastructure, safety, environmental sustainability, service convenience, stakeholder engagement, visitor numbers, and financial performance.
Dai Bin, president of the China Tourism Academy, emphasized that while traditional metrics such as visitor numbers and revenue remain important, greater emphasis should now be placed on enhancing the actual experiences of tourists. A concurrent report from the Chinese Academy of International Trade and Economic Cooperation supported this view, noting that although inbound visitor numbers have increased, this has not yet fully translated into tourism spending. The report identified service quality and visitor experience as critical levers for unlocking further growth.
Innovations in technology are also playing a significant role in improving travel convenience. A new digital platform launched by China Daily and the Beijing Municipal Bureau of Culture and Tourism aims to simplify trip planning for overseas visitors, integrating itinerary planning, accommodation booking, transport arrangements, translation services, and payment options. The platform includes an artificial intelligence assistant designed to provide real-time guidance, serving as a digital concierge for first-time travelers. At CIFTIS, companies exhibited AI-powered multilingual guides and augmented reality translation glasses that facilitate communication across multiple languages. Australian tour operator Manuel Condoleon noted that language barriers, once a major challenge, are diminishing thanks to these technological advancements.
Despite progress, some challenges persist. Chinese travel platform Trip.com Group reported that foreign visitors still face difficulties related to language, understanding tourism products, coordinating itineraries, and navigating unexpected situations. In response, the company has expanded multilingual websites and deployed self-service ticket machines at hundreds of attractions, alongside AI-driven multilingual information services.
Visitor data reflects increasing international travel to China, with nearly 61.3 million border crossings recorded in the first eight months of 2026, representing a 19.5% year-on-year increase. Visa-free entries accounted for 77.6% of foreign arrivals, up 26.8% from the previous year.
Beijing’s ranking as the world’s fifth most popular tourism city, according to the World Tourism Cities Development Report (2025-2026), underscores the importance of diversifying visitor experiences. The city is promoting attractions beyond its core urban sites, offering scenic train routes in the Yanqing district, visits to scientific facilities and a science city in Huairou, and insights into modern logistics industries in Shunyi. Dai Bin emphasized the importance of presenting Beijing as a dynamic metropolis, showcasing both its rich history and contemporary culture and innovation.
Travel trends indicate foreign visitors are increasingly exploring Beijing’s suburban districts and other inland regions. Homestay bookings in outer districts such as Yanqing and Huairou have risen significantly, reflecting a growing interest in authentic cultural experiences including traditional crafts, local markets, and intangible heritage. This pattern extends beyond Beijing, with provinces like Gansu, Xinjiang, Ningxia, Qinghai, and Shanxi seeing rapid growth in foreign homestay bookings.
China’s 15th Five-Year Plan for tourism (2026-2030) outlines goals to improve services for foreign travelers, strengthen tourism networks surrounding major gateway cities, and develop diverse products that blend historical culture, technology, festivals, and shopping.
Experts like Joseph Lema of the WTCF note that competition among global tourism cities is increasingly focused on delivering quality experiences, sustainable development, and effective governance, moving beyond simple metrics of visitor volume and attractions. This evolution reflects a global trend toward more sustainable and experience-driven tourism development.