CAAPA Important Event Recommendations

Come here to explore new ways to upgrade cultural and tourism projects.

2026 China (Beijing) International Amusement Rides and Equipment Expo

(The Beijing International Tourism, Leisure, and Entertainment Industry Expo)

March 19-21, 2026 · Capital International Convention & Exhibition Center

Keywords One Invest in Things and Invest in person Closely integrated

Invest in thing And invest in person Closely integrated It is an important new concept introduced at the Central Economic Work Conference at the end of 2025 and in the “Suggestions for the 15th Five-Year Plan,” and has been listed as one of the “five new insights and understandings” regarding economic work. The introduction of this concept marks a shift in China’s development philosophy—from previously placing greater emphasis on investment in “things” to simultaneously valuing investment in “people” and seamlessly integrating the two.

In the cultural and tourism industry, this integration carries profound guiding significance. On the one hand, “Things” are the foundation, serving “people.” Well-developed infrastructure and a rich product supply are prerequisites for meeting the cultural and tourism consumption needs of the people. Without... No matter how promising the vision may be, investment in “things” alone will hardly ever translate into tangible results. Therefore, it remains essential to continue ramping up investment in cultural and tourism infrastructure as well as digital technologies, thereby solidifying the material foundation for industry development. On the other hand, “People” are the ultimate goal; the development of “things” must be guided by human needs. This means that when planning... Project When designing products and providing services, we must take enhancing the human experience and promoting human well-being as both our starting point and ultimate goal.

Invest in thing And invest in person Closely integrated It is also reflected in Sharing of development outcomes First, investing in people means enabling them to participate in and share the fruits of development more equitably; investing in material resources, on the other hand, means creating more tangible wealth that can be shared. In the cultural and tourism sector, this calls for us to strike a balance between these two aspects as we pursue development. Economic benefits and social benefits , you also have to calculate. We must balance the “economic account” with the “people’s livelihood account.” When a cultural and tourism project can simultaneously boost local economic growth, promote cultural heritage, protect the environment, and improve residents’ quality of life, it truly achieves synergistic and mutually reinforcing effects from investments in both “people” and “things.”

“New-quality productivity” has been a frequently recurring high-frequency term in recent years and has become the core engine driving China’s economic and social development. By 2026, this concept will be further deepened and deeply integrated with the cultural and tourism industries, giving rise to a series of new business forms, new models, and new scenarios.

New-quality productive forces are the advanced productive forces of our time, spurred by revolutionary breakthroughs in technology, innovative reallocation of production factors, and profound transformation and upgrading of industries. The core indicator of these new-quality productive forces is the enhancement of total-factor productivity. For the cultural and tourism industry, developing new-quality productive forces means breaking away from reliance on traditional resources and simple factor inputs and shifting toward driving development through technological innovation and model innovation.

Specifically, the manifestation of new-quality productivity in the cultural and tourism sector includes:

By developing new-quality productive forces, the cultural and tourism industry will achieve a shift from... The fundamental shift from “reasonable growth in quantity” to “effective enhancement in quality” provides strong impetus for high-quality development.

As consumption upgrades and generational shifts take place, tourists’ demands are shifting from simple sightseeing and check-in activities toward seeking profound emotional experiences and shared values. Consequently, “Scenario-based consumption” has become a key buzzword in the cultural and tourism industry for 2026.

Scenario-based consumption refers to tourists no longer choosing destinations solely on the basis of whether they boast traditional landmarks or natural scenery; instead, they place greater emphasis on a destination’s ability to create unique and immersive scenarios. A successful cultural and tourism destination often succeeds in weaving elements such as culture, stories, and emotions into the traveler’s experience through a series of carefully crafted scenarios, subtly drawing tourists into an unforgettable journey. “Immerse yourself” in a brand-new world.

In short, scenario-based consumption signals that the competitive dynamics of the cultural and tourism industry are undergoing a profound transformation. — From competing on “hardware” to competing on “software,” and from vying for “resources” to vying for “minds.” In the future, a successful cultural and tourism destination will inevitably be an “emotional arena” capable of delivering rich emotional experiences and scene-based value.

“Emotional consumption” is closely linked to scenario-based consumption, but it places greater emphasis on the psychological and emotional satisfaction tourists derive from the consumption process. Younger groups, such as Generation Z, are becoming the main driving force behind cultural and tourism consumption. Their travels are no longer just about seeing scenic landscapes; rather, they’re increasingly focused on seeking emotional value and spiritual fulfillment. As a result, the emotional attributes of cultural and tourism products and services have become more important than ever before.

Emotional consumption in The performance in 2026 is reflected in multiple aspects:

The rise of emotional consumption has placed new demands on cultural and tourism professionals: both product design and marketing promotion must pay greater attention. The emotional needs of “people” call for innovative products and services driven by emotionally resonant thinking. Only cultural and tourism products that can touch people’s hearts and forge emotional connections with visitors will stand out in the future market.

In recent years, industrial integration has become the norm and mainstream trend in the development of cultural and tourism industries. In 2026, this trend will become even more pronounced, further blurring the boundaries of the cultural and tourism industries and sparking chemical reactions with an ever-growing number of sectors, thereby giving rise to unprecedented new business models and additional growth drivers.

The cultural and tourism industry possesses inherent comprehensiveness. Its development, when integrated with industries such as agriculture, sports, commerce, technology, and education, not only expands its own scope but also injects vitality into other sectors. Below are several typical integration models:

The deepening of industrial integration will bring about... The “1+1>2” effect. On the one hand, it can enhance the richness and appeal of cultural and tourism products, meeting tourists’ diverse needs. On the other hand, it can also drive the development of related industries, enabling resource sharing and complementary advantages, thus creating a virtuous cycle of “cultural tourism + various industries” and “various industries + cultural tourism.”

Of course, industrial convergence also poses new challenges to industry governance, talent structures, and policy regulations, requiring coordinated responses from governments, businesses, and society at large. However, overall, this trend points to the future direction of the cultural and tourism industry. It is foreseeable that in the future, the cultural and tourism industry will no longer operate in isolation but will join forces with numerous other industries to jointly create a new vision for China’s high-quality economic development.

Keyword Six ： Value rationalization

“Value rationalization” means that consumers and market players, when making decisions, place greater emphasis on value orientation and rational judgment, rather than being solely influenced by price or superficial appearances. In the cultural and tourism market of 2026, this trend is becoming increasingly evident: whether something “is worth it” is now more important than whether it “is expensive.”

For tourists, value rationalization manifests itself in their willingness to pay for experiences that are truly valuable and meaningful—even if the prices are high. At the same time, even if such products are inexpensive, they will struggle to appeal to tourists if these products suffer from severe homogenization and lack substantive depth. This indicates that tourists’ consumption decisions are shifting away from... The shift from “price sensitivity to value prioritization” means they’re pursuing “value for money”—even “excellent value for money.”

For cultural and tourism enterprises, value rationalization means enhancing the quality of products and services to build genuine core competitiveness. The old model—relying on low prices and shoddy production—has become unsustainable. Enterprises need to boost the added value of their products through innovation and creativity, ensuring that consumers feel they’re getting good value for their money. It’s worth noting that value rationalization is not the same as blindly pursuing high-end positioning. Rather, it emphasizes alignment. —The value offered by the product must align with consumers’ psychological price points and expectations. For the mass market, provide High-value, cost-effective products that offer “excellent quality at a reasonable price” are also a rational choice. As long as a product makes consumers feel it’s “worth it” on a psychological level, it’s considered a success. Therefore, cultural and tourism enterprises with different positioning all need to identify their target customer segments, conduct in-depth research into their value orientations, and then tailor their products and services accordingly.

Keyword 7: Risk Prevention

“Risk prevention” has been given a more prominent role in cultural and tourism work for 2026. The Central Economic Work Conference pointed out, “ In China’s economic development, there are still many longstanding issues and new challenges. The external environment continues to undergo profound changes, the domestic supply-demand imbalance remains prominent, and risks and hidden dangers in key areas are on the rise. Most of these problems are inherent in the process of development and transformation, and with sustained efforts, they can be addressed. The fundamental conditions and underlying trends that support China’s economy for long-term healthy growth remain unchanged. ” Faced with a complex and ever-changing domestic and international situation, the cultural and tourism industry must enhance its risk awareness and firmly uphold the safety bottom line.

First, preventing and resolving risks in key areas is a prerequisite for the steady development of the cultural and tourism industry. For cultural and tourism enterprises, this means that enhancing operational management capabilities is of paramount importance. They must be vigilant against blind expansion and high-leverage operations to avoid falling into the trap of a broken capital chain. At the same time, they should closely monitor changes in macroeconomic policies and market conditions, promptly adjust their business strategies, and strengthen their ability to withstand risks.

Second, we must consistently integrate the concept of safe development throughout the entire process of cultural and tourism industry growth. Whether it’s the safety of facilities in scenic areas, food hygiene, or security measures for large-scale events, these aspects must be continuously and rigorously addressed. Only by regarding safety as the cornerstone of development can the cultural and tourism industry achieve sustainable, high-quality growth.

In 2026, China’s cultural and tourism industry will stand at a new historical starting point, as the underlying logic of its development undergoes a profound transformation: shifting from an emphasis on scale to one on quality, from competing on hardware to competing on software, from satisfying functional needs to catering to emotional fulfillment, and from operating in isolation to achieving collaborative win-win outcomes. Behind these key words lies a microcosm of industrial change—a shift in development drivers and a重塑 of value orientations. It is foreseeable that a new ecosystem for the cultural and tourism industry—characterized by higher quality, greater sustainability, deeper humanistic care, and advanced technological integration—will accelerate its formation in the years ahead, adding luster to the better lives of the people and injecting powerful momentum into economic and social development.

CAAPA Important Event Recommendations

2026 China Cultural and Tourism IP Innovation Development Symposium

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