The China-Europe Tourism Dialogue at ITB China 2026 explores outbound and inbound travel, smart tourism, and cultural product innovation.
Government and tourism industry leaders from China and Europe will gather at ITB China 2026 in Shanghai from 26–28 May to discuss growth in two-way travel, digital tourism, cultural travel trends, and new opportunities for cooperation amid rising outbound and inbound travel demand.
As Chinese demand for travel to Europe grows and visa-free inbound arrivals to China continue to expand, China-Europe tourism cooperation is entering a timely new phase of dialogue. On the afternoon of 26 May, the China-Europe Tourism Dialogue, jointly hosted by ITB China and the Bureau of International Exchange and Cooperation of China’s Ministry of Culture and Tourism, will take place at Forum Area A during ITB China 2026. The event will bring together government representatives, industry organizations, and business leaders from both China and Europe to explore market transformation, digital empowerment, and product innovation, and culturally immersive travel experiences.
Shaping the Next Era of China–Europe Tourism
The European Travel Commission forecasts that visits from China to Europe will rise by 28.3% year on year in 2026 (European Tourism: Trends & Prospects, Q4/2025). At the same time, China’s National Immigration Administration reports that 8.315 million foreign nationals entered China visa-free in the first quarter of 2026, up 29.3% year on year. With Chinese outbound travel to Europe set to grow and China’s inbound travel facilitation measures gaining momentum, two-way tourism, evolving traveller profiles, destination choices, service experiences, and product innovation are emerging as key topics of discussion.
China–Europe tourism exchanges rest on a strong foundation and offer significant growth potential, with industry stakeholders on both sides eager to deepen understanding and broaden cooperation through open, in-depth dialogue. Against this backdrop, the China-Europe Tourism Dialogue will take place on the afternoon of 26 May at Forum Area A, as a highlight of ITB China 2026. Jointly hosted by ITB China and the Bureau of International Exchange and Cooperation of China’s Ministry of Culture and Tourism, the dialogue provides a high-level platform connecting policy perspectives, industry insights, and business practices, with a focus on the strategic direction and practical pathways for two-way tourism cooperation between China and Europe.
Today, China-Europe tourism cooperation is guided by a broader set of priorities: evolving source markets, shifting travel patterns and destination preferences, more efficient cross-border services, the adoption of smart tourism technologies, culture-driven travel experiences, and practical approaches to sustainable development. Reflecting these trends, the China-Europe Tourism Dialogue will focus on three core themes:
Demand and Market Structure: The panel discussion “New Trends in China-Europe Two-Way Tourism: Demand, Structure and Market Transformation” will explore changes in traveler demand, product preferences, and destination positioning across the China-Europe market, examining how the industry can anticipate and respond to the next phase of two-way tourism flows and cooperation opportunities.
Digitalization and Experience: The panel discussion “Digital Bridges: How Smart Tourism Can Enhance Cross-Border Travel Experiences and Sustainable Development between China and Europe” will examine the role of digital technologies in cross-border tourism, exploring how smart services can enhance travel convenience, visitor experience, and sustainability.
Culture and Product Innovation: The panel discussion “From Check-ins to Resonance: How Cultural Experiences Can Drive Product Innovation in In-Depth China-Europe Travel” will focus on how cultural content can be translated into compelling and distinctive tourism products, supporting the evolution of in-depth travel from simple resource presentation to meaningful visitor engagement.
In addition to these panels, the program will feature welcome remarks and keynote presentations addressing topics such as high-quality development in China-Europe tourism and strategies for effectively reaching European travelers to China, providing a broader strategic context for the afternoon’s discussions.
The dialogue will bring together representatives from government bodies, industry associations, destination promotion organisations, travel companies, online travel platforms, and smart tourism technology enterprises from both China and Europe. Confirmed participants include the European Travel Commission, German Travel Association, German National Tourist Board, Italian National Tourist Board, Austrian Embassy in China, Ireland China Culture and Tourism Association, China Tourism Association, Department of Tourism, Culture, Radio, Television and Sports of Hainan Province, as well as companies such as Fliggy and Rokid, enabling cross-sector exchange across policy, market, and product perspectives.
As a key component of ITB China 2026, the China-Europe Tourism Dialogue will further enrich the event’s focus on international tourism cooperation, providing a targeted platform for destinations, tourism businesses, and industry organizations from China and Europe to connect and exchange ideas.