WTA Chair ZHANG Xu Attends China Cultural and Tourism Enterprise Cooperation Development Conference

November 8, 2023 – The China Cultural and Tourism Enterprise Cooperation Development Conference, under the theme “Join Hands with Hospitable Shandong for a Win-Win Future in Cultural Tourism”, commenced in Zibo, Shandong. The conference, featuring an opening ceremony, a main forum, and four parallel forums (matchmaking sessions), serves as a platform for domestic and international cultural and tourism enterprises to explore cooperation opportunities. Dignitaries including Shandong’s Deputy Party Secretary and Governor ZHOU Naixiang, World Tourism Alliance (WTA) Chair Mr. ZHANG Xu, President of the China Tourism Association Qiang DUAN, and President of the China Cultural Industry Association ZHANG Bin graced the event with their presence and speeches.

Governor ZHOU Naixiang highlighted the robust growth of Shandong’s cultural and tourism industry, describing it as a vibrant and competitive landscape. He extended an invitation to cultural and tourism enterprises to join hands with “Hospitable Shandong”, sharing the opportunities, deepening win-win cooperation, and collectively promoting the high-quality, integrated development of the cultural and tourism sectors in Shandong.

ZHANG Xu, WTA Chair

Chair ZHANG Xu spoke highly of the rare and significant opportunity for entrepreneurs in the cultural and tourism sectors convening to deliberate on the development of Shandong’s cultural and tourism industry. The WTA will collaborate with Shandong in international exchanges and image promotion, as part of the efforts to establish Shandong as a global cultural tourism destination showcasing world-class elegance, Chinese spirit, and the charm of Qi-Lu culture.

DUAN Qiang, President of the China Tourism Association, noted the fruitful investments in Shandong by many enterprises present at the conference. He expressed his confidence in more companies choosing “Hospitable Shandong” for further investment and collaboration with local enterprises, enriching cultural tourism offerings, and elevating the tourism industry to new heights.

Hosted by the Shandong Provincial People’s Government, the China Tourism Association, and the China Cultural Industry Association, the conference brought together industry experts, scholars, representatives from high-end international brand hotels, key domestic cultural and tourism enterprises (groups), renowned tourism performance enterprises, and financial investment institutions. Participants explored new paths for the development of the cultural and tourism industry under the context of green, low-carbon, high-quality growth, discussed mutual empowerment in the era of mass tourism, turning to collective wisdom to promote the high-quality integrated development of cultural and tourism industries.