On the morning of June 2, the 2026 World Tourism Cities Federation Beijing Fragrant Hills Tourism Summit opened at the Zhongguancun International Innovation Center. Yin Yong, Deputy Secretary of the Municipal Party Committee, Mayor, and Chairman of the World Tourism Cities Federation Council, attended and delivered a speech.
Yin Yong stated that tourism is an important channel for cultural exchange and mutual learning between different countries and cultures, an effective means of developing the economy and increasing employment, and a vital industry for meeting people’s aspirations for a better life. In recent years, Beijing has continuously deepened the integration of culture and tourism, accelerated technological innovation, and carefully created an optimal environment, increasingly becoming a world-class tourist city and global tourism destination. Currently, digital and smart technologies are profoundly reshaping the present and future of the tourism industry. He proposed three suggestions for the future development of world tourism cities: first, using digital intelligence as wings to shape new forms of future tourism. This involves deepening the research, development, and application of new technologies such as artificial intelligence, launching more new business formats like virtual roaming, and empowering tourism with technology. Second, focusing on service as the foundation to create new momentum for tourism development. This includes tapping into the cultural connotation of cities, enriching the supply of tourism products, optimizing service standards and processes, and providing tourists with a higher quality travel experience. Third, based on cooperation to build a new pattern of mutual benefit and win-win outcomes. This involves improving the global cooperation system, promoting the free flow and synergistic empowerment of tourism resource elements, and ensuring that the fruits of tourism development better benefit people of all countries. He emphasized that the World Tourism Cities Federation is an important platform for exchange and cooperation among tourism cities and will continue to play a bridging role, constantly improve service quality, and work with all members to promote the prosperous development of the global tourism industry.
The Mayor of Machu Picchu, Peru, Ratorre; the President and CEO of the World Travel and Tourism Council, Guevara; and the Vice Minister of Culture and Tourism, Gao Zheng, delivered speeches successively. During the opening ceremony, the 2026 World Tourism Destination Digital Competitiveness Report, the ten major scenarios for Beijing’s cultural tourism technology application, and the Beijing Initiative were released, along with a ceremony welcoming new members. The summit, themed “Digital Intelligence Leading the Future of Tourism,” included events such as a mayors’ forum, a cross-border tourism thematic forum, and exhibitions and displays.
Sima Hong, Vice Mayor and Executive Vice Chairman of the World Tourism Cities Federation Council, and Zeng Jin, Secretary General of the Municipal Government, attended the event.
