Along the banks of the Haihe River in September, the Tianjin Meijiang Convention and Exhibition Center is teeming with visitors. Across its 100,000-square-meter exhibition space, a vibrant and enthusiastic atmosphere fills the air as the 2026 China Cultural Tourism Industry Expo gets underway in full swing. This year's expo is massive in scale, bringing together 2,540 enterprises from 20 countries and regions and all 30 provinces, autonomous regions, and municipalities across China, showcasing a myriad of scenic wonders and innovative achievements. On September 4, the Public Open Day drew throngs of residents and tourists who flocked to the exhibition to explore and check in, immersively unlocking diverse new cultural tourism experiences. Against the broader backdrop of accelerating recovery and transformation in the cultural tourism sector, this expo is not only a grand industry gathering but also a vital window into the high-quality development of China's cultural tourism industry.
Technology is accelerating the pace of cultural tourism, emerging as the most eye-catching highlight of this expo. Stepping into the exhibition halls, cutting-edge technology is no longer just cold code; it has been transformed into tickets to "poetry and distant horizons." A silver-haired senior puts on VR goggles to experience dragon boat racing; seconds later, a smile spreads across his face as he exclaims in excitement, "It feels just like I'm sitting on a dragon boat!" Not far away, a young man dons a VR headset and an exoskeleton rig, taking an instinctive step and suddenly "standing" amidst the historic European-style architecture of Tianjin's Wudadao. Nearby, a little girl stands on her tiptoes before the "Digital Palace Museum" scroll, gently reaching out to touch it, only for the cultural relics to slowly unfold beneath her fingertips.
From VR dragon boat racing to humanoid robot bands, from robotic horses simulating mountain trails to robot "chefs" freshly making Jianbing Guozi, digital technology is reshaping the boundaries of the cultural tourism experience. In the Jiangsu pavilion, children crowd around "Hu Xiaoxuan," an AI companion robot, while just a few steps away, the elegant melodies of the Kunqu Opera masterpiece The Peony Pavilion fill the air. Digital light and shadow compete in splendor with 600 years of refined artistic charm. Young visitors gaze back and forth between the two; some have just taken off their VR headsets, only to have their feet rooted to the spot by the captivating vocal performances. This collision of technology and traditional culture vividly illustrates the boundless possibilities of digital and smart cultural tourism.
Meanwhile, the imagination behind "Cultural Tourism Plus" is fully unleashed. The industrial tourism sector makes its debut with a concentrated showcase, transforming once-roaring workshops and silent gears into popular check-in spots, offering visitors a uniquely authentic industrial experience. Cross-sector formats such as "Cultural Tourism + Rural," "Cultural Tourism + Health and Wellness," and "Cultural Tourism + Study Tours" are making their mark. Immersive experiences, digital smart tourism, and urban micro-vacations intertwine here, demonstrating the strong momentum of the cultural tourism industry toward diversified and deep integration. This not only enriches the supply of cultural tourism products but also injects new momentum into the transformation and upgrading of local economies.
If technology accelerates cultural tourism, humanities add breathing space to life. Deep in the exhibition hall, the Rongcheng Group pavilion naturally slows visitors' pace. In a 300-square-meter space devoid of dazzling screens and booming speakers, five circular exhibition zones connect to form a tranquil circulation route. As visitors stroll forward, it feels like stepping into an old friend's home. At a blue-toned coffee bar, a cup of 1895c Basketball Coffee steams gently; a middle-aged man takes a sip and remarks, "Sports paired with coffee—it's surprisingly perfect." In the Huiwan Workshop, visitors knead fragrant clay and mix medicinal beads, their fingertips imbued with the scent of herbs. A young girl, guided by a craftsman, completes her first fragrant pendant. Holding it to her nose, she inhales lightly, her eyes curving into crescents with a smile: "This is so much more fun than buying something ready-made; my hands smell wonderful."
In the center of the pavilion, the "Infinite Threads" art installation hangs quietly. Inheritors of intangible cultural heritage in raw lacquerware, bronze seal carving, and Thangka painting work with their heads bowed, drawing large yet surprisingly quiet crowds. An elderly gentleman murmurs, "Good things take time. Look at the lacquer, applied layer by layer—it cannot be rushed." In the Memories of the Times zone, intangible cultural heritage brocade boxes are arranged like little blind boxes. In the Agriculture, Food, and Health zone, germ rice from the black soil is piled into a pale golden wall, every grain plump and full. The staff explain that what they want to present is not mere exhibits, but life itself: "With a warm herbal drink cradled in your palms and the lingering warmth of fragrant clay on your fingertips, the true picture of life comes into focus."
An expo is about observing the industry, but it is also about savoring life. In the Sichuan pavilion, the "Anyi Panda," acting as the "Chief Leave Approval Officer," is surrounded by crowds as it "approves leave requests" on the spot, sparking bursts of laughter. At the Xinjiang booth, creatively designed silk scarves with intricate patterns sell out as soon as they hit the shelves. In the Zhejiang pavilion, young people vie to try out the latest interactive devices, their gasps of amazement rising one after another.
During the expo, a series of major events are held in succession, including the launch of Tianjin's Autumn 2026 Cultural Tourism Activities, the 6th Tianjin Binhai International Micro-Film Festival, the "Small but Beautiful" Scene Operation Innovation Conference, the International Travel Trade Conference, and the Cultural Tourism Industry Supply and Demand Matchmaking Conference. From exhibitions to negotiations, from content to scenarios, a complete cultural tourism ecosystem chain is accelerating its growth. Technology extends our reach, while humanities settle our minds. When "acceleration" and "breathing space" converge here, cultural tourism is no longer just about "going to see elsewhere," but about "returning to life itself." As the theme of this expo states: "Deepening the Integration of Culture and Tourism, Creating a Better Life through Smart Innovation." A better life is hidden in that steaming cup of coffee, in that hand-rolled scented pill, and in every departure and arrival.