This year marks the first time the GTEF will be venturing beyond Macau
Brought to you by Global Tourism Economy Forum
The Global Tourism Economy Forum (GTEF), an international platform dedicated to promoting the sustainable development of the global tourism economy, will hold its 2025 edition from December 15 to 17 in Harbin, Heilongjiang province.
Under the theme ‘New Quality Productive Forces: Powering the Global Tourism Economy’, the Forum will gather over 1,000 guests from five continents and more than 30 countries and regions, including the Secretary-General of UN Tourism, heads of international organisations, government officials, ministers of culture and tourism, executives from Fortune Global 500 companies, renowned entrepreneurs, and experts. Together, they will forge a new stage for open cooperation and jointly chart a future blueprint for the global tourism economy.
Launched in 2012 in Macau, GTEF is an annual summit that has held 10 editions to date, attracting over 14,000 participants from more than 90 countries and regions. It has partnered with 44 countries and 13 Chinese provinces and cities to promote cultural and tourism brands, serving as a vital bridge linking China with the world.
This year is the first time it is venturing beyond Macau, a milestone that reflects Heilongjiang’s growing influence in the cultural tourism sector, and the steady expansion of its international cooperation network.
In recent years, Heilongjiang has championed the development of its cultural tourism sector, capitalising on emerging opportunities. The province has successfully harnessed its ice and snow appeal and innovative spirit to establish a diverse industry ecosystem – encompassing the ice-snow economy, winter sports, eco-tourism, and wellness retreats – all strategically tailored to local strengths and powered by new quality productive forces.
Through its two 100-day tourism promotion campaigns, which promoted the province as a cool haven for summer, and a classic ice-snow destination during winter; it has since expanded its cultural and tourism offerings from seasonal popularity to year-round vibrancy, achieving an increase in tourism. In 2024, Heilongjiang welcomed a cumulative of 282 million tourist visits, a year-on-year increase of 29.1 per cent; with its total tourism spending reaching 370.12 billion yuan (approx US$52.3 billion), a year-on-year increase of 67.1 per cent.
International visitor arrivals surged to 1.2 million, a year-on-year increase of 95.4 per cent, while inbound tourism spending reached 13.44 billion yuan, a year-on-year increase of 101.5 per cent. These figures indicate strong and continuous momentum across both scale and quality in the cultural tourism market, demonstrating the dynamism of China’s high-quality tourism development to the world.
This edition of GTEF is structured around Heilongjiang’s year-round, all-region tourism model and industrial innovation. The Forum features four key pillars: Ice-Snow Economy & Industrial Innovation; Cultural Empowerment & Brand Building; Investment Leadership & Project Development, and Cross-Border Collaboration & Cooperation Opportunities, with the goal of connecting Heilongjiang with high-quality resources and innovative impetus from across the globe.
The agenda will include opening and closing ceremonies, keynote speeches, roundtable discussions, cultural tourism showcases, and a Heilongjiang Province Investment Promotion Session. These sessions are designed to establish a high-calibre international platform for domestic and international participants and enterprises, facilitate the business matching of premium projects, and promote the organic integration of the global tourism economy’s innovation and industrial chains.
The Forum’s dates also coincide with Heilongjiang’s winter season ‘100-day tourism promotion campaign’. Forum guests will be invited to tour Harbin’s landmark attractions and development projects, gaining a firsthand look at the unique appeal of China’s famous ice-and-snow tourism as well as the dynamic achievements of its cultural tourism sector.
For more details and latest updates regarding the Forum, visit GTEF as well as the official GTEF social media accounts
