NEWS Industry Updates, Get to Know with HeyTrip
1 Focus NEWS HEADLINES
5 Selected as "Experimental Zones"! National List of Cultural Ecological Protection Areas Announced
On July 28, the Ministry of Culture and Tourism announced the national list of cultural ecological protection areas. Through material review, unannounced visits, expert review, and public announcements, the accepted national cultural ecological protection experimental zones are officially confirmed as national cultural ecological protection areas. The list is as follows: Hakka Culture (South Jiangxi) Ecological Protection Zone Tong Drum Culture (Hechi) Ecological Protection Zone Diqing Ethnic Culture Ecological Protection Zone Geser Culture (Golog) Ecological Protection Zone Qiang Culture Ecological Protection Zone (Shaanxi) (People's Daily)
First Batch of Immersive Experience Space Development Pilots Announced
On July 26, the Ministry of Culture and Tourism announced the first batch of national smart tourism immersive experience space development pilots. 24 projects, including the CPC History Exhibition Hall ("Long March" Immersive Experience, Flyover Theater), teamLab Borderless Art Smart Tourism Immersive Experience Space, Liangma River International Waterfront Smart Tourism Immersive Experience Space, were selected. (Guangming Online)
2 Industry News INDUSTRY NEWS
Guangzhou Leads the Province in Five-Star Tourist Hotels
Recently, the National Star-rated Tourist Hotel Evaluation Committee announced that Guangzhou's Jumeirah Hotel and Guangzhou Huangpu Junlan Hotel were rated as five-star tourist hotels. Among them, Guangzhou Huangpu Junlan Hotel has maintained a deep strategic partnership with HeyTrip.
As of now, there are 123 star-rated tourist hotels in Guangzhou, including 26 five-star hotels, 29 four-star hotels. The quantity and proportion of high-star tourist hotels have been continually increasing, leading the province in both the number of star-rated tourist hotels and five-star tourist hotels. (Yangcheng Faction)
Hilton Releases Q2 Financial Report: Net Profit Exceeds Expectations, China Market Boosts Asia-Pacific RevPAR
Hilton Hotels Corporation released its latest financial report: Q2 net profit was $413 million, exceeding initial expectations. The Hilton Garden Inn brand has grown rapidly since introducing a new franchising model, signing approximately 3,700 rooms in China this quarter, a more than threefold year-on-year increase, accounting for over a third of total signings in China. In the Asia-Pacific region, Q2 RevPAR increased 79% year-on-year, mainly due to the continued recovery of demand in the China market. China's Q2 RevPAR increased 103% year-on-year, up 3% compared to 2019. (Finance World)
The First Thompson Hotel in the Asia-Pacific Region Will Be Located in Shanghai Expo Park, Expected to Open by 2024
On July 24, it was announced that the first Thompson Hotel in the Asia-Pacific region will be located in Shanghai Expo Park. It is being built with investment from the Shanghai Real Estate Group. The hotel building was topped off in June 2023 and is expected to open by 2024. Thompson and Alila were once part of the Two Roads Hospitality Group. Known for its unique boutique hotel positioning and vibrant design, it is mainly located in North America. In 2018, it was officially acquired by the Hyatt Group. (Viewpoint Network)
Hotels Become Popular Vacation Spots, Summer Hotel Bookings Surge by 85%
This summer, in addition to overcrowded tourist spots, hotels have also become popular vacation destinations. During the hot summer days, "staying in" to enjoy the hotel has become a new choice for many. Data shows that as of July 20, national summer hotel bookings have increased by 85% year-on-year. The most popular hotel destinations are Beijing, Shanghai, Chengdu, Guangzhou, Xi'an, etc. In terms of hotel types, family-friendly hotels are the hottest. (CCTV Finance)
Sanxingdui Museum's New Hall Opens, Nearly 600 Cultural Relics Debut for the First Time
On July 26, the Sanxingdui Museum's new hall opened, with more than 1,500 sets of new and old cultural relics collectively making their debut, vividly revealing the splendid glory of ancient Shu civilization and showcasing the eternal charm of Chinese culture. The new hall covers an area of 54,400 square meters, making it the largest single building of an archaeological museum in the southwestern region. The main building symbolizes "Three Stars Piled, the Eye of Ancient Shu"—three earthen mounds arranged along the central axis, signifying "Three Stars Piled"; the blue glass curtain wall forms the massive "Eye of Ancient Shu," overlooking the ruins and gazing inward at history. The architecture continues the classic spiral curve of the original Bronze Hall, forming a museum community with a unified style and integrated image. (Sichuan Daily)
Chengdu Universiade Museum Officially Opens
On July 24, the Chengdu Universiade Museum, an important project for the preparation of the 31st World University Summer Games, officially opened. The Chengdu Universiade Museum exhibition hall covers an area of 3,300 square meters and has collected nearly 80,000 various collections, images, and electronic documents. The collection includes valuable physical objects from the history of the Universiade, such as medals, torches, mascots, audio-visual materials, and many precious Universiade items donated by international university sports federation officials, including the "Jean Petitjean Medal." The Chengdu Universiade Museum has comprehensively recorded the glorious journey of more than 60 years since the first World University Games were held in 1959, across 20 countries and regions in Asia, Europe, and North America. (CCTV News)
Jiuzhaigou Scenic Area's Tourism Reception Breaks Through 2 Million Visitors This Year
In the summer of Jiuzhaigou, with lush trees, sparkling lakes, and magnificent waterfalls, the beautiful natural scenery and the ideal summer retreat attract tourists from all over the country. As of July 26, Jiuzhaigou Scenic Area has received a total of 2,016,035 domestic and foreign tourists, a year-on-year increase of 211.34%. (China News Network)
Beijing's Summer Vacation Product Orders Double Compared to Pre-Pandemic Levels
This summer, the popularity of summer travel has grown stronger with the rising temperatures. According to the "National Summer Tourism Development Report" recently released by the China Tourism Research Institute, the scale of China's summer tourism and related markets has reached 1.2 to 1.5 trillion yuan. Taking Beijing as an example, since the beginning of the summer, the order volume of Beijing's summer vacation products has increased by 100% compared to the same period in 2019. Among them, Yanqing, known as Beijing's "summer capital" for its cool climate, has received a significant portion of the tourist flow, and the search popularity of Yanqing in July increased by more than 60% month-on-month. (Tencent Network)
Philippine Consulates in China to Trial E-Visa Service on August 24
Local time on July 25, the Philippine Department of Foreign Affairs issued a statement on Tuesday, saying that the Philippine e-visa system will soon be put into use by Philippine foreign service agencies in China. The Philippine e-visa system will allow foreign citizens entering the Philippines to apply for temporary visitor passes online through electronic devices. The e-visa system will be on trial from August 24. (Philippine Feilong Network)
Muji's Airbnb Fully Booked Until June 2026
Muji has transformed a century-old house in Japan into an Airbnb accommodation. The house is located in Chiba Prefecture, near Tokyo, and can accommodate up to 5 guests, featuring Japanese natural and rural styles. The interior is entirely furnished with Muji products, including toothbrushes, kitchenware, and other household items. The price for staying in the Airbnb is $152 per night, and guests can choose pre-packaged Muji meals or meals made by locals. It is reported that the Airbnb opened last week, and the available dates for booking have already been filled until June 2026. (Global Travel News)
