China unveils culture, tourism development plan for 2026-30

China's Ministry of Culture and Tourism has issued a five-year plan for the sector, calling for deeper integration of culture and tourism while highlighting cultural heritage, public services, technology, new tourism formats and international cooperation.

The Culture and Tourism Development Plan for the 15th Five-Year Plan Period was issued on Sept 16 and sets out priorities for 2026-30. It aims to further advance the development of China as a country with strong cultural and tourism sectors by 2030.

The plan comes as China's tourism market has continued to expand. In 2025, a total of 6.52 billion domestic trips were made, up 16.2 percent year-on-year, while domestic tourism spending reached 6.30 trillion yuan ($900 billion), up 9.5 percent, according to the National Bureau of Statistics.

Inbound tourism also recovered strongly. China recorded 154.5 million inbound visits in 2025, an increase of 17.1 percent from the previous year. Visits by foreign tourists reached 35.17 million, up 30.6 percent.

Against this backdrop, the new plan calls for cultural and tourism development to play a greater role in enriching people's cultural lives and supporting economic and social development. It sets a goal of further integrating culture and tourism, with cultural resources helping enrich tourism experiences and tourism contributing to the development of cultural industries.

Eight areas have been identified as priorities: promoting artistic creation and production; strengthening the protection and transmission of cultural heritage; improving public cultural and tourism services; developing cultural and tourism industries; improving market development and regulation; using technology to drive development; expanding cultural and tourism exchanges and cooperation; and promoting coordinated development between regions and urban and rural areas.

The emphasis on new tourism formats builds on developments already under way. In 2025, the ministry promoted digital performances, online broadcasting, immersive experiences and low-altitude tourism, while also launching initiatives to upgrade scenic areas and improve the quality of rural tourism.

The plan also calls for greater use of technology in the cultural and tourism sectors. In 2025, the ministry supported 32 research and development and key laboratory projects under a national program focusing on cultural technology and modern services.

International tourism is another focus. The ministry has been working to improve the convenience and internationalization of inbound tourism and promote China's tourism image overseas. By the end of 2025, China had about 50 overseas Chinese cultural centers and 20 overseas tourism offices.

The new plan includes 54 key projects to support its implementation. It also calls for improvements in governance, policies, regulations and resource allocation, as well as stronger coordination among government departments and between central and local authorities.