The rise of emotional travel

According to the Green Book, the appeal of these matches is not athletic excellence but something closer to local pride, nostalgia and community bonding. It notes that single games have seen nearly 30 percent of attendees traveling from other cities.

Wu Jinmei, associate editor of the book, observes that events like these are no longer just sports. They have become cultural phenomena — platforms for regional identity and tourism promotion rolled into one.

She adds that cultural exhibitions have also become urban landmarks, commercial spaces have been reimagined as destinations, and intellectual property-themed venues attract niche communities.

Among the major transformations of the country's tourism market, inbound tourism has stood out.

Song, the chief editor, observes that beyond the classic sightseeing itinerary of the Forbidden City and the Great Wall, foreign visitors now seek to "become Chinese" and want to navigate a local market, order street food, and visit a neighborhood bathhouse.

The shift reflects a deeper change that inbound tourism is no longer just about driving consumption, Song explains, adding that it has become a vital channel for international communication and cultural exchange and a way for international visitors to encounter an authentic China.

The changes reshaping the industry, the book reveals, are not only about what travelers want but also about how the industry delivers it. Technology is rewriting the rules from the inside.

Jin Zhun, secretary-general of the Tourism Research Centre, points to generative artificial intelligence as a quiet revolution. Systems can now produce personalized travel videos for individual visitors and create virtual companions that adapt to a traveler's mood and interests. The result, Jin says, is a level of personalization that was previously unimaginable and a fundamental recalibration of what a travel service can be.