The 2026 Beijing Fragrant Hills Tourism Summit, hosted by the World Tourism Cities Federation, will be held from June 1 to 4 at the Zhongguancun International Innovation Center in Beijing's Haidian district, organizers announced at a recent media briefing in the capital.
Centered on the theme "Digital Intelligence Leading Future Tourism", the summit will focus on the integration of digital technologies and the tourism industry, exploring new models and opportunities for the future of global travel.
As the federation's flagship annual event, the Fragrant Hills Tourism Summit has been held 12 times in cities including Beijing, Chongqing, Los Angeles, Helsinki and Hong Kong, serving as a platform for dialogue, cooperation and innovation among tourism cities worldwide.
This year's event is expected to attract more than 300 representatives from over 50 countries, including city officials, international organizations, tourism enterprises, scholars and media representatives.
Organizers report that more than 50 high-profile international guests have already confirmed their attendance, including representatives from the World Travel & Tourism Council, Pacific Asia Travel Association, and International Air Transport Association, as well as mayors and tourism officials from cities such as Cairo, Athens, London, Seoul, Brussels and Buenos Aires.
Compared with previous editions, this year's summit places a stronger emphasis on the concept of "future tourism", with discussions focusing on digital transformation, smart city development and the recovery of cross-border travel.
One of the summit's key highlights will be the release of the 2026 Global Smart Tourism Destination Competitiveness Report, which will evaluate the digital development of tourism destinations worldwide and unveil the "Top 20 Smart Tourism Cities" ranking.
Technology-enabled tourism will also feature prominently throughout the event. Organizers plan to release a list of Beijing's top 10 technology application scenarios in the culture and tourism sector, showcasing the city's latest smart tourism achievements.
More than 40 leading companies, including Alibaba Group, Tencent and ByteDance, are expected to present innovations in artificial intelligence-powered tourism services, immersive travel experiences and smart tourism solutions.
The summit will also feature the 2026 World Mayors Dialogue, jointly organized by the federation and the Beijing Municipal Government Information Office. Seven international city mayors are expected to discuss how big data and artificial intelligence can support tourism cooperation and urban cultural development.
