The 11th Global Tourism Economy Forum concluded in Harbin, Heilongjiang Province, marking the event’s first expansion beyond its traditional Macao base. The forum brought together tourism officials, industry leaders, and experts from China and internationally to discuss development opportunities under the theme “New Quality Productive Forces: Powering the Global Tourism Economy.”
Heilongjiang hosts international tourism forum
The forum’s relocation to Harbin represents a strategic expansion of China’s tourism cooperation platforms beyond special administrative regions. Participants included senior officials from Heilongjiang Province, Macao SAR representatives, and international tourism leaders, including the UN Tourism Secretary-General. The event highlighted increasing economic and tourism exchanges between Heilongjiang and Macao, following several cooperative agreements signed earlier in 2025.
Forum focuses on four development pillars
Over 1,000 delegates participated in discussions centered on four key areas: Ice-Snow Economy & Industrial Innovation, Cultural Empowerment & Brand Building, Investment Leadership & Project Development, and Cross-border Collaboration & Cooperation Opportunities. The forum featured a parallel session in Macao with live broadcasts from the main Heilongjiang venue, facilitating regional collaboration between the two locations.
A dedicated Macao Tourism Investment Promotion Session emphasized Macao’s development as a world tourism and leisure center under its “1 + 4” diversification strategy. Representatives from Macao’s integrated resorts and tourism businesses shared practices in developing tourism experiences and expanding “tourism+” offerings.
China’s tourism economy development
The forum’s expansion to Heilongjiang reflects broader trends in China’s tourism sector development, particularly in northern regions with distinct seasonal attractions like ice-snow tourism. The event served as a platform for discussing how China’s tourism economy can integrate with global markets while developing domestic tourism resources.
Since its 2012 inception in Macao, the Global Tourism Economy Forum has operated under China’s “One Country, Two Systems” framework to facilitate international tourism exchange. The Heilongjiang edition was organized by the Heilongjiang Provincial Government in collaboration with UN Tourism, with the Macao SAR Government serving as the founding organizer.
