Beijing on Tuesday issued an action plan on improving services for foreign tourists, outlining 22 measures to launch signature activities integrating culture, business, tourism and sports and create themed and featured consumption scenarios.
The action plan also calls for developing new inbound tourism routes with Beijing's characteristics to further diversify cultural tourism offerings.
The capital city has recently launched 10 tourism routes that provide visitors to the city with a fresh perspective, featuring the new charm of the Beijing Central Axis, a UNESCO World Heritage Site running through the heart of Beijing, alongside local cuisine, intangible cultural heritages, and stargazing hikes.
"We have launched 10 in-depth tourism products with themes on new discoveries in Beijing, hoping foreign tourists will sense the new charm of the ancient capital, the vitality of the city, and the daily life of its residents. In the meantime, we have launched half-day-tour and one-day-tour packages with special themes for travelers in transit at the airport," said Zheng Fang, deputy director of the Beijing Municipal Bureau of Culture and Tourism.
In December last year, China announced extention of the visa-free transit policy, extending the permitted stay for eligible foreign travelers to 240 hours from the previous periods of either 72 hours or 144 hours.
Due to the policy, inbound tourism is seeing more personalized and individual tours, so Beijing has added diverse cultural sites such as museums and art spaces into some classic routes, according to the bureau.
"It's the first time in China for me. There's a direct flight now from Copenhagen to China that takes eight, nine hours. I think we are interested in coming here to see the old culture, because we've learned about it in school, but to see it in real life is something different," said a Danish tourist.
In the first four months of the year, Beijing received a total of 1.46 million foreign tourists, up 57.1 percent year on year.
Beijing rolls out measures to improve services for foreign tourists
An industry observer said that 2026 is poised to be a "year of sequels and cultural stories" in global animation, following a strong 2025 where such films dominated box offices worldwide.
With heavyweights like Toy Story 5, Minions 3, and China's perennial favorite Boonie Bears set for release, along with culturally rooted productions such as The Three Kingdoms: War 1 Luoyang, the coming months are expected to draw large audiences and reinforce animation's central role in cinema.
This optimism is built on a solid foundation from the previous year.
Looking back at China's film market in 2025, animated features emerged as a powerful driving force. Four of the year's top 10 highest-grossing films were animations, three of which were domestic productions.
Total animation revenue exceeded 25 billion yuan (around 3.58 billion U.S. dollars), capturing nearly 50 percent of the annual box office. As the new year unfolds, the animation sector continues to shine with promising highlights.
A key trend driving this momentum is the surge of sequels from major franchises.
"One notable trend is the abundance of sequels to classic animated films, particularly from Hollywood. Several iconic series are releasing new installments, making 2026 a year of animated sequels. Given their strong IP foundation, these sequels are expected to attract more audiences' attention and achieve solid box office results," said Hu Jianli, secretary general of the Chinese Film Critics Society.
Alongside these international sequels, domestic animation IPs are also deepening their influence and expanding their reach. The annual Boonie Bears series will welcome its latest installment, while the popular TV series The Immortal Ascension is set for its big-screen debut.
"It's fair to say that the Boonie Bears series has maintained the most consistent quality among domestic animated film franchises over the years. Its expansion from television to movies, merchandise, and theme parks represents a fully developed industrial chain, greatly strengthening the IP's presence in the public consciousness. As for The Immortal Ascension, it's the first time that the animation IP is adapted for the big screen, which naturally generates exceptional attention—especially following the successful live-action web series last year. If this first animated film adaptation succeeds, it has the potential to become a major film IP in its own right," said Hu.
Beyond the reliance on established franchises, another significant creative trend is the growing number of animated films drawing inspiration from China's rich classical literature and historical epics. This approach aims to connect with audiences through deeply rooted cultural narratives.
A leading example is a prominent Chinese animation studio Light Chaser Animation's upcoming "The Three Kingdoms: War 1 Luoyang", which dramatizes the early power struggles from the famed historical period.
"We are seeing a clear increase in animated films adapted from classic Chinese novels and myths. Light Chaser Animation Studios' 'New Culture Series' has performed exceptionally well in our animated film market—for example, 30,000 Miles from Changan earned over 1.8 billion yuan (around 257.98 million U.S. dollars) at the box office. This series has truly succeeded in creatively transforming and innovatively developing China's outstanding traditional culture for the big screen, while also resonating emotionally with today's young audiences through its storytelling and character adaptations," said Hu.
Beyond sequels and adaptations rooted in traditional culture, original animated films are also carving out their space with unique concepts and distinctive styles, showcasing further creative possibilities.
Titles such as Arco, a 2025 animated science-fantasy film, and Pixar's Hoppers exemplify this trend of innovation.
"I believe animated films will remain a major force in the global box office in 2026. The worldwide top-grossing film of 2024 was Inside Out 2, and in 2025 it was China's Ne Zha 2. So I'm confident that animated films will once again rank among the highest-grossing releases globally this year," Hu said.
Animated films set to dominate 2026 global box office with strong lineup
