China Launches 16th "China Tourism Day" with Over 1 Billion Yuan in Benefits

May 19 this year marks the 16th "China Tourism Day", and the Ministry of Culture and Tourism has launched a series of activities for the 2026 "5·19 China Tourism Day" from now until May 31. During the event period, local governments across the country plan to introduce more than 9,000 benefit measures, cooperate with over 70 partner institutions, and allocate more than 1 billion yuan in subsidies to benefit tourists, China Economic Net reported.

Li Xiaoyong, Deputy Director of the Market Management Department of the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, introduced that the "5·19 China Tourism Day" activities consist of three interrelated sections: countdown, theme day and theme month, forming an all-round and progressive linkage. During the theme month, concentrated rectification work will be carried out to address irregularities such as tour guide misconduct and forced consumption in the tourism industry, aiming to maintain market order and create a sound consumption environment.

Industry associations will strengthen self-regulation and launch the "5·19 Safe Scenic Area · Risk Prevention Action". Tourist service stations will be set up at key scenic spots and transportation hubs to optimize service supply, ensuring a good experience and safety guarantee for tourists, Xinhua News Agency stated. This year’s event is held against the backdrop of the first year of the 15th Five-Year Plan, where building a strong tourism country was included in the national five-year plan for the first time.

The main venue of this year’s theme day is located in Guangzhou, Guangdong Province. Chen Jianhua, Deputy Secretary-General of the People’s Government of Guangzhou Municipality, said that a launching ceremony will be held at the Canton Tower, a new cultural and tourism landmark in Guangzhou, on the evening of May 19. Guangzhou will also launch a 1 billion yuan benefit package, including tourism annual passes, hotel and scenic spot combo tickets, and transportation discounts, CCTV.com reported.

Zeng Xiaofeng, Deputy Director of the Department of Culture and Tourism of Guangdong Province, noted that the province will guide local authorities to introduce preferential policies for the "ticket stub economy". Tourists can enjoy exclusive discounts across the province with vouchers such as air tickets, high-speed rail tickets, and tickets for large-scale events or performances, promoting the transformation of consumption from "single purchase" to "chain experience".

In addition, during the theme month, the China Tourist Attractions Association is expected to cooperate with more than 200 tourist attractions to release annual festival activities and preferential lists. The countdown activities, held from May 14 to 18 in five cities including Luoyang and Dongying, will highlight the integration of cultural tourism with various industries and carry out online and offline publicity, Guangming Net reported.

With the theme of "Enjoy Quality Tourism, Embark on a Journey to Beautiful Mountains and Rivers", this year’s "5·19 China Tourism Day" aims to meet people’s diverse needs for quality cultural tourism, promote the high-quality development of the cultural and tourism industry, and let the whole people share the achievements of the industry’s growth.