The China International Travel Mart wrapped up Sunday in Haikou, capital city of south China's Hainan Province, showcasing how the integration of tourism, technology, culture and sports is reshaping travel experiences.
The three-day event marked the first time the largest tourism exhibition in the Asia-Pacific region has been held in the south China tropical island province. It was also the first high-level exhibition held after the Hainan Free Trade Port officially launched its island-wide special customs operations on December 18.
Covering an exhibition area of 65,000 square meters, the fair featured five sections, focusing respectively on domestic tourism, overseas tourism, inbound tourist consumption, cultural-tourism integration, and a dedicated section promoting tourism in Hainan. More than 1,000 business operators and representatives from over 100 countries and regions attended the exhibition.
The event featured a dazzling array of high-tech projects such as sightseeing submersibles, virtual reality glasses, humanoid robots, and 3D skate surfing.
"The Jiaozi manned sightseeing submersible is one of China's first mass-produced civilian sightseeing submersible models. Our original purpose in manufacturing it was to integrate technology into tourism and promote Chinese innovation nationwide and globally," said Li Bo, an exhibitor.
Authorities of popular tourist destinations also shared their experiences in exploring the integration of culture and tourism at the exhibition.
"In recent years, we have managed to boost tourism development by promoting our food culture, creating new business forms. For example, in Xinjiang's Shawan County, there is a famous dish called 'Dapanji' (big plate chicken). Many tourists travel to Shawan specifically to try this dish and visit the area," said Tian Tao, deputy director of the Tourism Promotion and International Exchange Office under the Culture and Tourism Department of the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region.
The overseas tourism exhibition area presented unique folk customs and travel inspirations from around the world to attract potential visitors from the vast Chinese market. "We are participating in this exhibition mainly because we see great potential in the favorable Hainan Free Trade Port policy. It allows Chinese travel enthusiasts who may not know much about Slovakia to deeply experience the culture, nature, cuisine and history of Slovakia through immersive displays at our booth," said Tan Xiaolan, another exhibitor.
China International Travel Mart wraps up in Hainan
