The Beijing Municipal Bureau of Culture and Tourism reported that in the first three quarters of this year, the city welcomed 280 million tourists and generated a tourism income of 504.1 billion yuan (approximately US$71 billion), marking a record high. Currently, tourism is increasingly recognized as a Beijing’s emerging strategic pillar industry.
Beijing has successfully harnessed the comprehensive driving effect of the tourism industry, demonstrating the principle that “when one industry thrives, all industries prosper,” which has boosted the city’s economic development. The city has fully utilized the country’s first tourism resources trading platform, resulting in 474 cultural and tourism projects being transacted, with a turnover of 45.3 billion yuan (approximately US$6.4 billion).
Furthermore, the Municipal Bureau of Culture and Tourism has signed a long-term cooperation agreement with China’s four major banks—Agricultural Bank of China, China Construction Bank, and Bank of Beijing—to provide a total of 150 billion yuan (around US$21 billion) in financing credit support for Beijing tourism enterprises over the next five years.
The city’s ‘Walking in Beijing’ program has been a resounding success, popularizing the city-walk travel mode across various platforms. Additionally, it became the first in the country to implement the concept of ‘micro-vacation,’ as proposed by tourism scholars, by introducing 12 designated ‘Beijing micro-vacation’ destinations.
Beijing is at the forefront of developing science and technology tourism products, with seven projects selected as the first batch of national pilot initiatives for cultivating new spaces for immersive smart tourism experiences, ranking first in the country in this regard.
Taking advantage of the status as a national pilot city for inbound tourism, Beijing has achieved eight significant milestones, such as establishing a demonstration area for overseas guest payment services at the airport. The “Beijing Gift” brand continues to introduce popular new products, featuring five themed stores, including Double Olympics and Opera, which have made impressive debuts.
On the eve of the Beijing Tourism Development Conference, the Municipal Bureau of Culture and Tourism released several key documents: the “Top Ten Innovative Policies and Mechanisms for Beijing Tourism,” the “Top Ten Demonstration Scenes of Beijing Tourism,” the “Top Ten Integration Cases of Beijing Tourism,” and the “Top Ten Promotion Brands of Beijing Tourism.”
Beijing’s Tourism Will Contribute over 5% of the City’s GDP by 2029
Experts estimate that the tourism industry will continue to grow, and by 2029, its added value will account for more than 5% of the city’s GDP. Additionally, the total number of tourists is expected to increase by over 2% annually, while total tourism income may rise by approximately 4% each year. The number of international tourists is expected to grow by around 5% annually.
