Insights & Inspirations | The Role of Art and Culture and New Media Communication in Marketing

The Europe-China Tourism Dialogue, recently held in Budapest, Hungary, successfully brought together experts to discuss the theme “The Role of Art and Culture and New Media Communication in Marketing”. The following is a summary of the key dialogues from the event.

Moderator:Mr. Frantisek REISMÜLLER, CEO of CzechTourism, Sinologist

Panelists:

Mr. HE Yong, President of HCG International Travel Group Co., Ltd.

Mr. SONG Haiyan, Associate Dean and Chair Professor of School of Hotel and Tourism

Management, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University

Ms. Cathy WU, Head of Outbound Travel of Tourism Department, Xiaohongshu

Mr. Tom JENKINS, CEO of European Tourism Association AISBL

Mr. Balázs KOVÁCS, CEO of GD Consulting

Mr. László PUCZKÓ, Tourism Expert, Liget Budapest Project

Dialogue Transcript:

Moderator: How would you define cultural tourism in a couple of sentences?

Mr. SONG Haiyan: From an academic perspective, cultural tourism is essentially an activity of discovering, learning, experiencing, and consuming cultural values and traditions, which may or may not be related to the society of the destination.

Mr. HE Yong: Cultural tourism is an extension of the tourism industry and a response to the evolving demands of customers. Our role is to provide better services and more diverse products to meet the spiritual and cultural needs of our clients.

Mr. Balázs KOVÁCS: Cultural tourism is a branch of tourism that help us to make the world better.

Ms. Cathy WU:With the rise of social media, cultural tourism can be presented in a more vivid manner to a global audience, attracting more potential tourists. Especially for younger generations, they are more likely to seek immersive and interesting experiences when traveling.

Mr. Tom JENKINS: The origin of the word ‘culture’ is fascinating, embodying shared values, beliefs, and the relentless pursuit of excellence. The tourism industry and new media, as products of our time, are nurturing unique cultural phenomena.

Mr. László PUCZKÓ: Culture is deeply rooted locally, shared passionately and proudly by the locals. Tourists feel the charm of culture through exploration and experience, leading to deeper resonance between the tourists and local communities.

Moderator: What are the changes in cultural tourism related to new media? How should we target customers and conduct destination marketing?

Mr. SONG Haiyan: While UN Tourism defines 40% of tourists as cultural tourists, I believe all international tourists are essentially cultural tourists because they bring their cultural backgrounds and blend them with the foreign culture they visit. Initially, cultural tourism research focused on the supply side, on how destinations provide cultural products and services to meet tourists’ needs to learn about local culture. Now, the focus has shifted to the demand side, with countries striving to create unique cultural products and services to provide unforgettable experiences. Thus, culture profoundly impacts tourists. Different societies and cultures have unique values and norms. If tourists remain open-minded, they can learn, discover, and appreciate these values during their travels.

Mr. HE Yong: HCG Travel Group’s main business leverages Trip.com’s resources to attract tourists from North America, China, and Korea to Europe. We focus on themed tours that highlight specific cultural elements. For instance, in Italy, we offer World Cultural Heritage-themed tours showcasing the country’s rich heritage. In Hungary, since 2018, we’ve designed itineraries emphasizing Hungary’s cultural charms, like the story of Princess Sissi and related renowned musical performances, to convey the essence of Hungarian culture to tourists.

Moderator: How does cultural exchange between countries have a long-term impact on the tourism market?

Mr. Balázs KOVÁCS: Ancient Chinese philosophy believes in the complementarity of Yin and Yang, a concept also reflected in Hungary and across Europe, where regions experience both competition and cooperation. Moving forward, we should embrace a mindset of coexistence. Currently, we are developing a highly inclusive model for cultural tourism, driven by deep experiences and story resonance, linking hearts through rich and meaningful stories told by the tourism industry, promoting harmonious coexistence. In the tourism economy ecosystem, our perspective has broadened from single-destination supply to exploring how tourism can empower sustainable natural environment protection, cultural heritage preservation, and the overall prosperity of destination communities.

Mr. Tom JENKINS: Surprisingly, over the past 30 years, our members’ products and sales methods in long-haul tourism markets like Europe and China have been little changed. Despite minimal supply changes, culture remains at the core of these products. From Confucius to Mark Twain to Glasgow, wise sayings remind us that tourism involves deeper cultural exchanges beyond sightseeing. For local residents, if the influx of tourists doesn’t align with their expected lifestyle, they might feel disappointed. As depicted in a 1820s French cartoon, a shop owner complained that British tourists were not as ideal as those in the 1810s. Looking back in history, over-tourism issues appeared as early as the 1300s, with Dante using the metaphor of too many tourists to depict a tourism surge in his Divine Comedy.

Moderator: What do you see as the most exciting new trends in the cultural destination market?

Ms. Cathy WU: As China’s leading lifestyle platform, Xiaohongshu combines features of Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest, and Amazon, establishing a unique position in the Chinese market. The platform’s user base is predominantly young, with 50% born after 1990, and females make up 70%. Given that shopping and travel decisions are often made by female users, this user breakdown reflects the platform’s characteristics. Our commercial team leverages technology, digital products, and data insights to identify trending content on social media, helping partners and brands expand their business. For European countries, we can precisely target young people in first and second-tier cities, bringing more targeted users and increasing discussions about European travel, museums, and historical sites.

Mr. László PUCZKÓ: We developed the Liget Park project in Budapest, covering about 100 hectares and featuring a zoo, thermal baths, and museums, restoring the park’s original look from 150 years ago. We aim to create an important urban “green lung” and emphasize its significance in residents’ lives. It offers a deep understanding and experience of local culture, allowing Chinese tourists to find resonance in music, art, and architecture. The park also features a music playground for children to enjoy and engage with culture. Our goal is for visitors to not only tour but also actively participate in cultural activities. We believe culture can be experienced and passed down in many ways, and we hope this innovative approach will help more people appreciate Hungary’s rich culture and heritage.

Moderator: What impact do art, culture, and new media have on tourism market marketing?

Mr. SONG Haiyan: Although physical heritage and culture remain unchanged, their history and stories can be vividly presented through technology. For example, visitors can now use AI and digital technology for immersive experiences in museums, enhancing their understanding of history and culture. Economically, cultural activities are not public goods and require funding to maintain and protect heritage. The digital transformation of cultural tourism not only provides richer experiences for tourists but also brings economic benefits to cultural institutions and reduces operating costs.

Mr. HE Yong: New technology significantly aids cultural dissemination, particularly in tourism. AI and other technologies enable tourists to access detailed information beforehand, enhancing their immersive experiences and positively impacting cultural promotion. By integrating online and offline resources, tourists can quickly learn about a destination’s history and cultural background, adding knowledge and fun to their trip. In Vienna’s Golden Hall, new technology and media create an engaging atmosphere, attracting audiences from different culture backgrounds to enjoy music, even if they are not familiar with certain art forms.

Mr. Balázs KOVÁCS: We have entered the third stage of the consumer society. The first stage was selling products, the second was selling services related to products, and the third is selling the stories and narratives behind products, fostering a better understanding of the world.

Mr. Tom JENKINS: New media technology contrasts sharply with traditional tourist experiences. As the restoration of Michelangelo’s work has shown, traditional means alone can no longer meet the diverse needs of modern society or keep up with the rapid pace of the digital age. We are in an environment that encourages innovation and new experiences, heralding a potentially new journey of experiences.

Ms. Cathy WU: The relationship between reality and technology is very close. We use technology to capture consumer behaviors and preferences, apply them to information flow and search, and develop algorithms to build better relationships with business partners, ensuring they reach their target audience effectively.

Mr. László PUCZKÓ: Art and culture used to be shrouded in a veil of mystery, captivating audiences with their unique charm. Now, new media has changed this, promoting cultural products attractively and transforming user-generated content (UGC) into a co-created cultural phenomenon. This way, the meaning and value of culture are significantly shaped by users and visitors, placing culture in a new context and injecting new vitality into cultural transmission and development.