August Asia (China) Cultural and Tourism Industry Development Report
August Asia (China) Cultural and Tourism Industry Overview
01 Global Tourism Industry Development Trends
In August, the European and American tourism markets showed a significant differentiation trend. The number of international tourist arrivals in the United States declined year-on-year for the fourth consecutive month, and the World Cup and celebration events failed to reverse the downward trend. Many European countries benefited from sustained demand and characteristic astronomical events, and their tourism industry continued strong growth.
In the U.S., August is the traditional peak summer season, but the driving effect of the World Cup matches faded, and the differentiation of regional markets further emerged, with destinations in Southern Europe and the Mediterranean showing stronger passenger flow resilience. According to the International Visitor Forecast from the National Travel and Tourism Office (NTTO) of the U.S. Department of Commerce, the total number of international tourist arrivals for the whole year is expected to reach 70.5 million, an increase of 3.2% over 2025. The number of international inbound tourists in August saw a slight year-on-year increase of about 1.8%, far lower than the expected growth rate in the World Cup opening stage in June. In terms of source market structure, short-haul tourist sources in North America such as Canada and Mexico remained stable, while the growth of transatlantic long-haul tourist sources was weak. In terms of festival activities, the 40th Summer Stage open-air music festival was continuously held in New York, with more than 60 free concerts held in five boroughs, and a series of activities such as open-air movies in Bryant Park continued to attract leisure tourists. The demand for summer vacation tours in western lake areas and national parks was strong, but some scenic spots raised the usage fee of leisure facilities, which curbed the travel intention of some family tourists.
In the UK, according to the inbound tourism forecast released by VisitBritain in August, the number of inbound tourist arrivals in the UK for the whole year is expected to reach 44.2 million, and the total tourist consumption is expected to be 33.9 billion pounds, both increasing by 2% compared with 2025. The Edinburgh Fringe Festival drove the year-on-year growth of international air arrivals in August by 16%. According to Amadeus tourism intelligence data, during the Edinburgh Fringe Festival in August, the number of international air arrivals is expected to increase by 16% year-on-year, of which leisure tourists account for 98%. In the international source market, Italy and the United States rank first with 15% each, Germany accounts for 11%, and Spain and France account for 9% each. China became the fastest growing source market with a 70% year-on-year increase, and Saudi Arabia grew by 57%.
In Spain, summer tourism set a new record. On August 12, the total solar eclipse became an important driving factor for tourism consumption in the month. Spain predicts that from May to August, Spain will receive about 43 million international tourists, a year-on-year increase of 6%, and the total tourism consumption is expected to reach 64 billion euros, a year-on-year increase of 10. According to data from the United Nations World Tourism Organization, the number of global international arrivals during the summer vacation exceeded 300 million for the first time. As the world's largest destination, Europe alone recorded more than 130 million arrivals in the first quarter, a year-on-year increase of 4%, with outstanding performance in the southern Mediterranean and Northern Europe. The total solar eclipse in Spain on August 12 became an important catalyst for international tourism in the month. BBVA Research's analysis of offline consumption data of overseas physical credit cards shows that in the week from August 10 to 16, the offline consumption of overseas tourists in provinces with 100% total solar eclipse coverage increased by 25.7% year-on-year, higher than the national average growth rate of 13.8%.
02 Asia-Pacific (China) Market Tourism Industry Development Trends
In Australia, the total number of short-term tourist arrivals in the 2025-26 fiscal year reached 9.1 million, an increase of 8% year-on-year, but short-term monthly data faces cost pressure. Data released by the Australian Bureau of Statistics in August shows that the total number of short-term tourist arrivals in Australia in the 2025-2026 fiscal year was 9,101,120, an increase of 8.3% year-on-year, marking the fifth consecutive year of growth, but still about 3% lower than the peak of 9.3 million in the 2018-19 fiscal year. Among them, the number of short-term tourist arrivals in June was 566,910, a year-on-year decrease of 9.2%, still 16.4% lower than the same period in 2019. The rising travel cost is considered to be the main factor restraining the willingness of international tourists to visit.
In Vietnam, the number of international tourists in August reached 1.99 million, hitting a new high in four months, with a year-on-year increase of 18.4%. Data released by the Statistics Bureau of the Ministry of Finance of Vietnam shows that Vietnam received 1.99 million international tourists in August, a month-on-month increase of 19.7% and a year-on-year increase of 18.4%, setting the highest single-month record in nearly four months. The cumulative number of international tourists received in the first 8 months was 15.91 million, a year-on-year increase of 14.4%, completing about 64% of the annual target of 25 million. China continues to rank as Vietnam's largest international tourism source market, with about 3.54 million tourists traveling to Vietnam in the first 8 months, accounting for 22.3% of the total, a year-on-year increase of 10.4%; South Korea ranks second with 2.76 million tourists, a year-on-year decrease of 3.2%; Russia ranks third with more than 1 million tourists, with a year-on-year increase of up to 165.7%.
In Thailand, the number of inbound tourists in the first 8 months exceeded 18.5 million, a year-on-year decrease of 3.2%, and the market showed a structural adjustment trend. Data released by the Ministry of Tourism and Sports of Thailand shows that from January to August, Thailand received a total of about 18.51 million foreign tourists, a year-on-year decrease of 3.19%, and tourism revenue was about 896.2 billion baht. China was the largest source market in the first 7 months, with a cumulative number of tourists to Thailand of about 3.078 million, Malaysia ranked second with 2.37 million tourists, and India ranked third with 1.376 million tourists. The number of inbound tourists in the second quarter dropped to 6.8 million, down from 9.3 million in the first quarter, mainly affected by the slowdown in demand in the short-haul Asian market.
In China, the summer travel operation in August continued to run at a high level. According to official statistics from the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, the total number of domestic trips during this year's summer vacation reached 1.12 billion, and the total tourism revenue exceeded 1.55 trillion yuan, with a significant year-on-year increase, setting a new high for the summer market over the years. During the summer travel period, the national railways cumulatively carried 954 million passengers, and the civil aviation industry cumulatively transported 151 million passengers. The cross-border tourism market continued the prosperous pattern of both inbound and outbound trips, and the visa facilitation policies were further expanded. In terms of policies, starting from August 20, China officially included Kyrgyzstan and Vietnam in the scope of countries applicable to the 240-hour transit visa-free policy, and holders of ordinary passports of the two countries can also enjoy the 30-day visa-free entry policy in Hainan. So far, the number of countries covered by the 240-hour transit visa-free policy has increased to 57, and the number of countries covered by Hainan's visa-free policy has increased to 61. Data from online travel platforms shows that the booking volume of outbound tourism products during the summer vacation maintained high growth, with Thailand, South Korea, Malaysia and Singapore as popular destinations; the visa-free policy continued to release dividends, and the booking volume of inbound tourism products increased by more than 6 times year-on-year.
03 Executive Personnel Changes in Cultural Tourism Groups
In August, according to the ABN Cultural Tourism Brand Monitoring Directory, 9 cultural tourism enterprises experienced important personnel changes.
Three Gorges Tourism: Appointed Lu Jianguo as Chief Financial Officer. On August 3, Three Gorges Tourism (002627) issued an announcement that Ms. Chen Jingjing applied to resign from the position of Chief Financial Officer of the company, and after resigning from the above position, she still served as the company's director and deputy general manager. On the same day, the company passed the "Proposal on Appointing the Company's Chief Financial Officer", and agreed to appoint Mr. Lu Jianguo as the company's Chief Financial Officer.
Longyan Cultural Tourism Huijin Group: Huang Jinhuo served as Vice Chairman and General Manager. On August 11, after research and decision by the Longyan Municipal People's Government, Huang Jinhuo was appointed as Vice Chairman and General Manager of Longyan Cultural Tourism Huijin Development Group Co., Ltd.
Nanyang Cultural, Tourism and Sports Group: Li Wei was removed from the position of Chairman. On August 14, the Nanyang Municipal People's Government issued a notice, appointing Li Wei as the Director of Nanyang Municipal Finance Development Center, and removing him from the positions of Chairman of Nanyang Cultural, Tourism and Sports Group Co., Ltd. and Chairman of Nanyang Railway and Aviation Industry Investment Group Co., Ltd.
Zhangjiajie: Qin Lin resigned from the position of director, and Li Xin was supplementary elected as a candidate for director. On August 14, Zhangjiajie Tourism Group Co., Ltd. announced that the board of directors received a written resignation report from Qin Lin. On the same day, the company held the 5th interim meeting of the 12th board of directors, and reviewed and passed the proposal of supplementary election of Mr. Li Xin as a candidate for non-independent director.
Sayram Lake Cultural Tourism Investment Group: Chairman Su Mingde and Deputy General Manager Cao Xudong were removed from their posts. On August 17, after the decision of the People's Government of Bortala Mongolian Autonomous Prefecture, Su Mingde was removed from the position of Chairman of Sayram Lake Cultural Tourism Investment Group Co., Ltd. of the Autonomous Prefecture; Cao Xudong was removed from the positions of director of the board and Deputy General Manager.
Haichang Ocean Park: Both the Chairman of the Board and the Chief Executive Officer resigned, Chen Wancheng took over as Chairman and Chief Administrative Officer. On August 18, Haichang Ocean Park Holdings Co., Ltd. announced that Liu Jiangtao resigned as Chairman of the Board and Chairman of the Nomination Committee, Ouyang Ming resigned as Chief Executive Officer, and the two still remain as executive directors; He Qigen and Lai Zhilin resigned as non-executive directors. Chen Wancheng was appointed as executive director, Chairman of the Board and Chief Administrative Officer.
CYTS: Chairman Ni Yangping resigned due to work transfer, Vice Chairman Zhao Peng performed the duties on his behalf. On August 19, CYTS announced that the company received a written resignation report submitted by Chairman Ni Yangping, applying to resign from the positions of Chairman and Director of the 10th Board of Directors and Director of the Strategic and Sustainable Development Committee of the Board of Directors. Before the election of the new chairman, Vice Chairman Zhao Peng will perform the duties of the chairman on behalf of him.
Songcheng Performance: Chairman Zhang Xian resigned. On August 21, Songcheng Performance (300144) issued an announcement that Zhang Xian, the chairman of the company, resigned from the position of Chairman of the 9th Board of Directors for personal reasons, and after resignation, she still served as the company's director and Director of the Strategic and Sustainable Development Committee. On the same day, the company elected Huang Hongming as the Chairman of the 9th Board of Directors.
Sanya Tourism and Culture Investment Group: Liu Han took over as Chairman, Lin Peng was removed from his post. In August, Sanya Tourism and Culture Investment Group Co., Ltd. issued an announcement that Liu Han has served as the company's chairman and legal representative since August, removing Lin Peng from the positions of chairman and legal representative; at the same time, Li Nanting and Zhong Lu were removed from the positions of external directors, and Ji Guobiao was removed from the position of deputy general manager.
04 Investment and Equity Dynamics of Cultural Tourism Enterprises
In August, according to the ABN Cultural Tourism Brand Monitoring Directory, 6 tourism enterprises experienced investment and equity changes. The key projects involved in the monitoring directory are as follows:
Haichang Ocean Park: The controlling shareholder changed, introducing new investors with HK$1.113 billion. On August 3, Haichang Ocean Park announced that the controlling shareholder Sunriver Starrysea and non-executive director Qu Cheng plan to sell about 2.875 billion shares to HH SeaPark Holding for a consideration of about HK$1.114 billion. After the transaction, Sunriver Starrysea no longer holds the controlling stake, and HH SeaPark Holding becomes the major shareholder with a 21.75% equity stake.
Wen Tou Holdings: A wholly-owned subsidiary acquired 100% equity of Huailai Cinema for 4.1188 million yuan. On August 18, Wen Tou Holdings (600715.SH) announced that its wholly-owned subsidiary Hongshu Media plans to acquire 100% equity of Huailai Xinyinglian Cinema Co., Ltd. from related parties Beijing Film, Xinyinglian Culture and Xinyinglian Film for a consideration of 4.1188 million yuan.
Tianfu Cultural Tourism: Plans to acquire 34.30% equity of Bi Penggou Company for 174 million yuan to increase the strategic layout of ice and snow tourism. On August 28, Tianfu Cultural Tourism (000558.SZ) announced that the company plans to use self-raised funds of 174 million yuan to acquire 34.30% equity of Li County Bi Penggou Tourism Development Co., Ltd. held by Chengdu Western Tourism Investment Holding (Group) Co., Ltd. Bi Penggou Company is the operating entity of the operating business of Bi Penggou Scenic Area, which has 50-year development and operation rights of the scenic area. After the transaction is completed, the company will hold 34.30% equity of Bi Penggou Company.
Huangshan Tourism: Waives the preemptive right to 40.04% equity of Taiping Lake Cultural Tourism. On August 7, Huangshan Tourism (600054.SH) announced that Huangshan District Guofa Group, a shareholder of Taiping Lake Cultural Tourism (the holding subsidiary of the company), plans to transfer its 40.04% equity of Taiping Lake Cultural Tourism to Huangshan District Agriculture, Cultural and Tourism in the form of free transfer, and the company decides to waive the preemptive right for this equity transfer. Huangshan Tourism's shareholding ratio of 59.96% in Taiping Lake Cultural Tourism remains unchanged, which will not lead to changes in the scope of consolidated statements.
Nanjing Commerce and Tourism: Nanjing State-owned Assets Group indirectly acquired 34.78% of the shares through capital increase. On August 19, Nanjing Commerce and Tourism (600250.SH) issued an acquisition report. The actual controller of the company, Nanjing Municipal State-owned Assets Supervision and Administration Commission, plans to use the equity of enterprises such as Nanjing Urban Construction Investment Holding (Group) Co., Ltd. to increase capital to Nanjing State-owned Assets Investment Management Holding (Group) Co., Ltd. After the capital increase is completed, the State-owned Assets Group directly holds and indirectly holds a total of 58% equity of Nanjing Cultural Tourism Group Co., Ltd. (the controlling shareholder of the company) through the Urban Construction Group, becoming the controlling shareholder of the Cultural Tourism Group, indirectly controlling 34.78% of the shares of Nanjing Commerce and Tourism, which constitutes an indirect acquisition of the company.
CYTS: Transfer 51% equity of Shanshui Hotel with a listing reserve price of 121 million yuan. On August 7, CYTS (600138) issued an announcement that the first interim shareholders' meeting held by the company on June 30 reviewed and passed the proposal on publicly listing and selling assets, and decided to transfer the 51% equity of CYTS Shanshui Hotel Group Co., Ltd. held by the company and the creditor's rights enjoyed to it through the property right trading institutions at or above the provincial level determined by the Ministry of Finance. The information of the transfer target was officially disclosed through the Beijing Property Exchange on August 7, and the transfer reserve price was 121 million yuan.
05 Signing and Preparation of Key Cultural Tourism Projects
According to the latest monitoring data from the Asia Hospitality Big Data Research Institute, 116 key cultural tourism projects were newly signed in August, involving multiple cultural tourism complexes and the preparation of some theme parks. The key projects involved in the monitoring directory are as follows:
#Start of Construction and Opening#
Guilin Sunac Fengshen Fantasy Performing Arts City opened. On August 1, the core project of Guilin Sunac International Tourism Resort, Fengshen Fantasy Performing Arts City, completed the comprehensive upgrading and transformation and officially opened. Relying on the classic Fengshen IP, the project upgrades the Fengshen IP from a "theme element" to a "complete world view". The scenic spot newly develops a global immersive drama