China to deepen culture-tourism integration to spur consumption, growth

China will further promote the integration of culture and tourism to create new travel experiences, boost consumption and support economic growth, Minister of Culture and Tourism Sun Yeli said on Saturday.

Speaking at a news conference on people's livelihood during the annual session of the National People's Congress, Sun said the country's tourism market continued to grow strongly, with travel becoming an increasingly important part of daily life for many people.

During this year's nine-day Spring Festival holiday, domestic trips reached 596 million, while tourism spending exceeded 800 billion yuan ($115.98 billion), both setting new records.

The strong holiday performance reflected growth throughout last year. Domestic tourist trips exceeded 6.5 billion in 2025, up more than 16 percent year-on-year, while tourism spending reached 6.3 trillion yuan, an increase of 9.5 percent and also a record high.

"Traveling, watching performances and spending leisure time in different places have become a new lifestyle for many people," Sun said.

He said culture and tourism have become an important source of public enjoyment and also a major driver of consumer spending.

Sun said the ministry will make culture-tourism integration a main focus of tourism development, with efforts aimed at both digital upgrading and broader cooperation across industries.

New technologies are helping create new travel services, products and experiences, giving traditional tourism fresh momentum, he said.

He added that tourism is also becoming more closely linked with other sectors such as sports, business, agriculture and industry.

"Tourism today is no longer only about visiting scenic spots," he said. "Many people want to experience local life, enjoy cultural activities, and travel for concerts, exhibitions or special events."

Travel products that offer stronger personal experiences and emotional connections are becoming more popular, he said.

Sun noted that culture played an important role in shaping such experiences and said the ministry would encourage more travel programs linked to performances, intangible cultural heritage experiences and sporting events.

China will also support new business models that combine tourism with commerce, sports, industry and agriculture, in order to create new growth opportunities and better meet public demand, he said.