Ministry of Culture and Tourism, Civil Aviation Administration of China

On Issuing the "Integrated Development of Culture, Tourism, and the Civil Aviation Industry"

Notice on the Action Plan

Cultural and Tourism Departments (Bureaus) of all provinces, autonomous regions, and municipalities directly under the central government; the Culture, Sports, Radio, Television, and Tourism Bureau of the Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps; all units directly affiliated with the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, Overseas Chinese Cultural Centers, overseas tourism offices, regional administrations of civil aviation, all transport (general) airlines, all service and support companies, all airport companies, and all units under the Civil Aviation Administration:  

　　The Ministry of Culture and Tourism and the Civil Aviation Administration of China have jointly developed the “Action Plan for the Integrated Development of Culture, Tourism, and the Civil Aviation Industry.” This document is now being distributed to you; please ensure its careful implementation.  

　　Hereby notified.  

Ministry of Culture and Tourism, Civil Aviation Administration of China

November 28, 2025

Action Plan for the Integrated Development of Culture, Tourism, and the Civil Aviation Industry  

　　This action plan is formulated to promote the integrated development of culture, tourism, and the civil aviation industry, further expand development space, and unleash consumer vitality.  

　　I. General Requirements  

　　Guided by Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, we will fully implement the spirit of the 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China and the Second, Third, and Fourth Plenary Sessions of the 20th Central Committee. We will promote the deep integration and mutual empowerment of culture, tourism, and the civil aviation industry, enriching new cultural and tourism experiences, unlocking new consumer potential, fostering new growth areas for the economy, and better meeting the growing spiritual, cultural, and travel needs of the people. By 2027, the level of tourism and travel services will be significantly enhanced; international and domestic tourism routes will cover an even wider range; integrated products and scenarios will become richer and more diverse; and the integration of culture, tourism, and the civil aviation industry will reach a deeper, broader, and higher-quality stage, thus establishing a virtuous development pattern in which demand drives supply and supply creates demand.  

　　II. Enhance the quality of tourism travel services  

　　(1) Optimize the age-friendly and barrier-free travel environment for senior citizens’ tourism. Guide airlines and airports to upgrade age-friendly service measures in response to the air travel needs of elderly passengers, strengthen end-to-end service guarantees, and encourage the introduction of services such as companion assistance for elderly travelers, dedicated rest areas, special in-flight meals for seniors, and senior-friendly seating in airport terminals. Compile guidelines for the planning and construction of barrier-free environments in passenger terminal areas of transport airports, accelerate the retrofitting of airport facilities to meet the needs of older travelers, and further optimize the barrier-free travel environment.  

　　(2) Strengthen the provision of safe and convenient travel services for study-and-research tourism. Guide airlines and airports to offer convenience to study-and-research groups in stages including ticket purchase, seat selection, check-in, baggage check-in, security screening, and boarding. Encourage airlines and airports with the necessary conditions to provide fast-track verification and passage services for group travelers. Also encourage airports and cultural and tourism enterprises to optimize ground transportation resources and provide convenient transfer services for study-and-research groups.  

　　(3) Enhance the warm and comfortable air travel experience for parent-child tourism. Airlines are encouraged to offer services such as seat selection for family travelers, reservation of children’s meals, onboard educational toys, children’s books, and children’s audiovisual content, thereby meeting the special needs of child passengers. Airlines are also encouraged to set up children’s play areas and interactive facilities for parents and children in airport terminals. Airlines and airports are supported in providing customized services tailored to the travel characteristics of families with multiple children.  

　　(4) Enhance warm-hearted service measures for ice and snow tourism. Encourage airports at ice and snow tourism destinations to implement effective warmth-keeping measures in passenger areas during severe cold weather, prioritize the use of jet bridges for flights on routes with significant temperature differences, add more changing facilities, and provide services such as rental and sale of winter clothing and warming supplies, as well as their delivery and storage. Support airlines and airports in optimizing baggage-handling systems and facilities, improving services for the consignment and retrieval of ice and snow tourism equipment, and promoting value-added “door-to-door” transportation services for ski gear.  

　　(5) Further enhance the convenience of inbound tourism. Continue to implement policies and measures aimed at improving the convenience of entry and travel for foreign visitors, and actively support the promotion of the “buy-and-refund-on-the-spot” tax refund service for departing travelers. Encourage major domestic airlines and hub airports to improve services that facilitate boarding, entry, and transit procedures, and strengthen guidance and assistance for passengers arriving in China on international flights. Enhance foreign-language signage and navigation facilities at airports, and encourage hub airports to offer rental services for portable translation devices. Establish a streamlined procedure mechanism at the hub airport level and expand the coverage of international through-flight services.

　　III. Optimize Tourism Routes and Service Facilities  

　　(6) Enhance accessibility for domestic tourism travel. Promote the inclusion of more tourist cities into the “trunk-and-branch connectivity, network-wide integration” air transportation service network, and encourage the launch of interconnecting and circular routes among regional airports serving popular tourist destinations, as well as “air express” and cross-border tourism routes. Support airlines in increasing flight frequencies during peak tourist seasons and in response to seasonal travel demands such as study tours, family tourism, and ice-and-snow tourism, and collaborate with major cultural and tourism festivals and exhibitions to introduce themed flights. On demand, establish special flight services tailored for senior travelers and offer preferential packages for elderly tourists traveling during off-peak seasons. Encourage civil aviation to play a greater role in long-distance study tours, and promote the integration of resources in regions that meet the necessary conditions to develop and promote a batch of specialized study-tour flight routes. Improve airport infrastructure in red tourism areas, encourage airlines to tap into the red tourism market and operate red tourism routes, and support eligible airport projects to be included as key initiatives in the 15th Five-Year Plan for Civil Aviation Development.  

　　(7) Encrypt inbound tourism routes. Optimize the allocation of air rights and guide Chinese and foreign airlines to launch more direct flight routes targeting key source markets and emerging markets, especially countries along the Belt and Road Initiative, thereby enhancing the network of inbound tourism routes. Encourage the development of transit visa-free policies, integrated travel itineraries that combine multiple destinations within designated areas, “airrail” combined transportation products, and “cruise-air” bundled tour packages, to meet the diverse and differentiated travel needs of inbound tourists. Implement an inbound tourism route promotion program, annually focusing on cultivating and developing a group of high-quality inbound tourism routes targeting major source markets, emerging source markets, and key destination cities for inbound tourism.  

　　(8) Improve airport tourism service facilities. Promote the establishment of dedicated areas at airports in popular tourist destination cities to facilitate the docking of tourist shuttle buses, chartered tour buses, and direct buses to resort areas and hotels. Support the setting up of tourism distribution centers and visitor service centers in airport terminals where conditions permit, integrating services such as tourism information consultation, individual traveler gathering, guided tours, ticket reservations, car rentals, baggage delivery, and public awareness campaigns—all provided in a one-stop service.  

　　4. Foster new products, new business models, and new scenarios through integration.  

　　(9) Enrich “Civil Aviation + Culture and Tourism” Services. Encourage airlines to launch package deals and multi-trip passes covering multiple tourist destinations. Support cooperation between airlines, airports, cultural and museum venues, tourist attractions, resort areas, hotels and homestays, travel agencies, car rental companies, and online tourism platforms. In conjunction with events such as “May 19 China Tourism Day” and the National Cultural and Tourism Consumption Promotion Campaign, introduce more diversified combination products for tourists. Support the development of themed package products such as “Traveling Along with Performances,” “Traveling Along with Sporting Events,” “Traveling Along with Film and TV Productions,” and “Traveling Along with Intangible Cultural Heritage.” Encourage the introduction of group tour packages for students and family discount packages tailored for educational tours and family-friendly travel. Encourage localities to include “Civil Aviation + Culture and Tourism” combination products within the scope of consumer voucher policies.  

　　(10) Develop culture- and tourism-based products with an aviation theme. Support cultural and tourism enterprises in strengthening cooperation with civil aviation entities to create culturally rich and contemporary artistic works and tourism performances centered on aviation themes, as well as develop aviation-themed cultural and creative products and co-branded merchandise. Encourage the launch of high-quality aviation industry tourism routes, and support the use of retired aircraft and abandoned airports to develop cultural and tourism projects such as flight simulation, science education, immersive experiences, and dining and entertainment offerings. Implement a development plan for aviation-themed study-and-travel tourism products, selecting and promoting a batch of aviation-themed study-and-travel brand projects and courses that are both educational and engaging, thereby popularizing aviation knowledge and promoting aviation culture. On the premise of ensuring normal operations and safety, civil aviation entities may arrange scheduled openings of airport facilities, aviation bases, flight training camps, and other venues to host study-and-travel tourism activities.  

　　(11) Promote the standardized and orderly development of low-altitude tourism. Encourage localities to establish joint regulatory mechanisms—combining industry and local authorities—that are tailored to their specific conditions. On the premise of ensuring safety, support qualified and capable enterprises in offering low-altitude tourism programs, and develop distinctive low-altitude tourism routes and products that take into account the regional and seasonal characteristics of local tourism resources. Study and formulate management measures for the aerial sightseeing market to guide the healthy and orderly development of low-altitude tourism.  

　　(12) Create new scenarios for cultural and tourism exhibitions and consumption. Promote the construction of culturally enriched airports, and encourage airports with suitable conditions to make full use of existing facilities to set up cultural corridors, intangible cultural heritage displays, themed exhibitions, cultural and museum exhibits, interactive entertainment areas, and immersive experiences—thus creating “airport cultural living rooms.” Expand cultural and tourism consumption scenarios by supporting the inclusion of cultural and creative products, specialty goods, trendy domestic brands, high-quality intangible cultural heritage items, and consumer electronics in the shopping catalogs available at airport terminals and onboard aircraft.  

　　V. Foster a favorable environment for integrated development  

　　(13) Establish a communication and coordination mechanism. The Ministry of Culture and Tourism and the Civil Aviation Administration of China will strengthen daily communication and overall coordination, supporting cultural and tourism administrative departments at all localities in establishing cooperative mechanisms with regional civil aviation administrations, airlines, airports, and other civil aviation entities. These mechanisms will enhance synergistic collaboration in areas such as route design, project cooperation, and promotion and marketing, thereby fostering innovation in the integration of culture, tourism, and civil aviation—including product innovation, business model innovation, scenario innovation, and service innovation. Furthermore, we will guide cultural and tourism administrative departments at all levels and civil aviation entities to strengthen data sharing and application, providing a solid basis for conducting precise promotion and marketing, attracting and guiding tourists, and monitoring and scheduling holiday operations.  

　　(14) Strengthen policy support and guarantees. Further refine policies for managing airline routes and flights, and optimize the development of tourism route networks and the allocation of flight capacity. Civil aviation entities should intensify the exploration and utilization of resources and encourage their affiliated enterprises and institutions to participate in integrated development efforts. Cultural and tourism administrative departments at all localities should coordinate and effectively leverage policies related to consumption promotion and industrial development to facilitate the co-development and operation of integrated cultural, tourism, and civil aviation products. Localities with appropriate conditions are encouraged to introduce special support policies aimed at promoting the integrated development of culture, tourism, and civil aviation.  

　　(15) Intensify publicity and promotion efforts. Encourage cultural and tourism administrative departments across various regions, in collaboration with civil aviation authorities, to jointly organize product promotion and themed activities aimed at boosting consumption. Support the establishment of dedicated zones at key cultural and tourism trade shows, festivals, and online promotion platforms. Encourage the use of airport billboards, airline magazines, in-flight entertainment systems, and other channels to carry out public-interest publicity for culture and tourism, and distribute cultural and tourism promotional materials in airport lounges and behind-seat pockets on aircraft. Establish a collaborative mechanism for overseas publicity and promotion, encouraging Chinese cultural centers abroad, overseas tourism offices, and airline marketing centers to strengthen cooperation. Together, these entities should organize cultural and tourism enterprises and civil aviation authorities to participate in overseas cultural and tourism exhibitions, forums, and other events, and jointly promote inbound tourism products and air routes.  

Understand at a Glance

Action Plan for the Integrated Development of Culture, Tourism, and the Civil Aviation Industry