The immersive performance Moon Over Wuyi drives a shift from sightseeing to immersive vacations. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

A comprehensive international development roadmap was released during the 2026 Conference on the Development of Cultural and Tourism Economy, held from April 17 to 19 in Zhangzhou, Fujian province. The move follows a year of notable growth in the province's inbound tourism sector.

In 2025, Fujian recorded 5.55 million international arrivals, a 51.2 percent increase over the previous year. Tourism revenue from these visitors rose 63.2 percent to $6.56 billion. This growth is attributed to the 240-hour transit visa-free policy, optimized service systems, and the formation of an inbound tourism quality alliance.

The newly released "Fujian as a World-Renowned Tourist Destination: Action Plan" was co-authored by UN Tourism and Fujian Normal University. The document was finalized after UN experts conducted a field study covering more than 8,000 kilometers across 50 cities, counties, and districts in Fujian to assess local conditions and align the province with international standards.

Under this framework, Fujian is integrating its cultural heritage into the broader tourism economy. As of March, the province is home to 10 UNESCO-recognized intangible cultural heritage items, currently supporting a network of 389 workshops, which employ more than 20,000 people.

The public performance series "Weekend Theater Meets" arrives in Spain. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

Alongside these heritage initiatives, the province has expanded its public cultural programming. By the end of 2025, the "Weekend Theater Meets" project had staged 707 performances across all municipalities, reaching over 600,000 people.