2026 Fujian Cultural and Tourism Economic Development Conference Held in Zhangzhou

ZHANGZHOU, ChinaApril 22, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — As reported by Fujian Radio, Film and Television Group, the 2026 Fujian Provincial Cultural and Tourism Economic Development Conference was held in Zhangzhou from April 17th to 19th. Centered on the theme of “Building a World-Famous Tourist Destination and Cultivating Cultural Tourism as a Pillar Industry,” the conference highlighted three key elements: “Fujianese Wisdom, Fujian-Style Living, and Southern Fujian Culture.” Integrating with the development of the World Southern Fujian Cultural Exchange Center, the event was transformed into a cultural and tourism extravaganza aimed at “enhancing cultural influence and showcasing Fujian’s new image” through six main events and 60 supporting activities across the province. During the conference, the multi-dimensional immersive performance “Return to Southern Fujian” was staged in Zhangzhou’s ancient city, using interwoven light and shadow to recreate the epic of struggle along the Maritime Silk Road and Southern Fujian culture.

The report titled “Goals, Vision, and Actions for Fujian as a World-Famous Tourist Destination” was released during the conference. This is the first report co-authored by the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) and China post-pandemic. Structured into four parts—Vision and Action Plan, Demonstration Projects, Tourism Resource Directory, and Best Practice Reference Guide—the report provides the first systematic and comprehensive analysis of Fujian’s conditions and advantages for becoming a world-famous tourist destination. It pioneers the establishment of a relevant indicator system for building such a destination in China and represents Fujian’s first tourism development report formulated from a global perspective and benchmarked against international top-tier standards. It offers a systematic top-level design, a clear strategic roadmap, and actionable guidelines for Fujian’s goal of becoming a world-famous tourist destination.

At the Fujian Cultural and Tourism Industry Chain Project Investment Promotion and Scenic Area Enhancement Supply-Demand Matching Event, a total of 117 key projects reached cooperation intentions or were signed, with a total investment of 83.226 billion yuan, injecting strong momentum into the high-quality development of Fujian’s cultural and tourism industry. These projects cover a wide range and diverse formats, focusing on new models, formats, and scenarios such as scenic area quality upgrades, ecological wellness, and digital cultural tourism. This marks Fujian’s cultural and tourism industry accelerating its transformation and upgrading towards integration, digitalization, and quality enhancement.

At the main event for the “Fresh Fujian, Fujian-Style Living” May Day and Summer Holiday Cultural Tourism Consumption Season, on-site announcements were made regarding Fujian’s consumption-boosting measures for the May Day holiday and summer, along with the launch of ten premium tourist routes. It is reported that focusing on the peak seasons around May Day, Dragon Boat Festival, summer holidays, and the “Fujian Super” period, Fujian has meticulously planned over 1,300 distinctive cultural and tourism activities and introduced more than 200惠民 (benefiting the people) measures. The emphasis is on building the “Fujian-Style Living” brand, encompassing measures like scenic spot ticket reductions, accommodation and dining discounts, transportation fare concessions, and consumption voucher distributions. Efforts are being made to vigorously develop new formats such as digital cultural tourism, event economy, night economy, and wellness tourism stays, aiming to fully unleash consumption potential and transform resource advantages into experiential, consumable, and shareable cultural tourism products.

During the “Weekend Theater Encounter—’Just Be Happy’ Southern Fujian Cultural Comedy Showcase,” the opening program “Encountering Southern Fujian” seamlessly integrated various Southern Fujian intangible cultural heritage elements like Gezai Opera, Gaojia Opera, Puppet Theater, and Storytelling. Diverse forms such as stand-up comedy, magic, and cross-border opera performances took turns on stage, focusing on the daily life of Southern Fujian, cultural heritage protection, and the spirit of “Dare to Struggle, Dare to Win.” The magic interaction segment led the audience to appreciate the charm of this “blessed land with mountains, seas, and songs along the way.” This program innovatively adopted a collaborative model of “Provincial Troupes + Professional Institutions.” The Fujian Provincial Experimental Min Opera Theater presented “‘O’ Yo • Song,” while the Fujian Peking Opera Theater performed “Romance of the Three Kingdoms ‘Doctors'” showcasing the beautiful tale of “Warmth in the Apricot Forest.” This model extends the stage to the grassroots level, promoting the direct delivery of high-quality cultural and artistic resources to the public.

It is reported that since 2023, Fujian Province has consecutively held four Cultural and Tourism Economic Development Conferences. These have played a positive role in boosting industry confidence, promoting the deep integration of cultural tourism with related industries, and facilitating the high-quality development of the cultural tourism economy. In 2025, Fujian Province received 718 million tourist visits, with total tourist spending reaching 940.65 billion yuan, representing year-on-year increases of 10.6% and 12.6% respectively, injecting strong momentum into the province’s high-quality economic and social development.