"Hello, Beijing" Cultural Tourism Promotion Shines at World Expo: Beijing's Inbound Travel Smart Services Upgraded

On May 9, 2025, the China Pavilion at the Osaka Expo 2025 welcomed a cultural tourism feast full of Eastern charm. The "Hello, Beijing" promotion event extended a warm invitation to global travelers through cultural displays, policy releases, and cross-border cooperation, showcasing Beijing's determination to become the "top choice for inbound tourism in China" with innovative measures such as the integration of communication and bank cards.

Deputy Consul General of the Chinese Consulate in Osaka, Wei Youmei; Deputy Director of the Beijing Municipal Bureau of Culture and Tourism, Sun Jian; and Chairman of the Osaka Convention & Tourism Bureau, Hiroshi Mizohata, attended the event. Wei Youmei stated that the "Hello, Beijing" promotion event showcased Beijing's blend of tradition and modernity to the world through diverse artistic forms of Chinese elements and cultural tourism integration. Hiroshi Mizohata, who has visited China 22 times and has deep feelings for Beijing's culture, tourism, arts, and cuisine, excitedly said, "I love Beijing. On my 23rd trip to China, I must visit Beijing again." Mizohata praised the China Pavilion at the Osaka Expo as a highly popular pavilion that combines traditional heritage with future innovation, and expressed hope for further promoting bilateral exchanges between Japan and China.

Global debut of "dual-card integration": Embracing global visitors with an open attitude

As the highlight of the promotion event, the Beijing Municipal Bureau of Culture and Tourism globally debuted the "Changyoutong" plan integrating communication and bank cards, sparking great interest among representatives from Japan's tourism industry, airlines, and travel agencies.

International visitors only need to hold one integrated card to enjoy high-speed internet, convenient payments, public transportation, and other full-scenario services in Beijing. Overseas visitors can also directly use Mastercard or Visa cards to swipe and ride the subway.

Sun Jian, Deputy Director of the Beijing Municipal Bureau of Culture and Tourism, stated that Beijing has rich tourism resources and well-developed public services. The international service levels for entry clearance, transportation, scenic spot visits, accommodation, dining, payment, and departure tax refund continue to improve. "China has implemented a unilateral visa-free policy for 38 countries including Japan, and a 240-hour transit visa-free policy for 54 countries. In the first quarter of this year, Beijing received 40,000 Japanese tourists, up 11.2% year-on-year. In 2024, the number of Chinese mainland visitors to Japan was 6.98 million, and it is expected to reach 12 million this year. There is huge potential for cooperation between the two sides."

Beijing is embracing global visitors with an even more open attitude. It has set up "one-stop" inbound travel comprehensive service centers at Beijing Capital Airport and Daxing Airport, providing 24-hour integrated services such as consultation, guidance, transportation, communication, and foreign currency exchange for inbound visitors. All 4A-level and above scenic spots, four-star and above hotels, tourism and leisure districts, transportation hubs, and key commercial areas have achieved full coverage of foreign card payments.

Deepening cultural tourism cooperation between China and Japan

At the "Hello, Beijing" cultural tourism promotion event, fruitful results in Sino-Japanese tourism cooperation were achieved. Route products jointly launched by five major airline companies including Air China provide convenient experiences for international visitors.

During the signing ceremony, China Eastern Airlines signed cooperation agreements with three institutions including MIRAI Travel Japan, and Spring Airlines signed agreements with two institutions including Japan Dreamland Tourism Co., Ltd. Through resource integration, these agreements aim to optimize Japanese visitors' travel services to Beijing and promote deep cooperation in the tourism markets of China and Japan.

The Beijing Municipal Bureau of Culture and Tourism also joined hands with over 40 Chinese and Japanese cultural tourism enterprises to unveil cross-border cultural tourism routes in Beijing, meeting the diverse needs of international visitors.

As a key cultural tourism area in Beijing, Changping District gave a special promotion during the event. In addition to possessing two world cultural heritage sites—the Ming Tombs and the Great Wall at Juyong Pass—Changping also showcased the "Phoenix Crown Journey," which connects historical relics, digital immersive experiences, Ming culture creative products, national-style hot springs, palace cuisine, and strawberry picking, a blend of agriculture and tourism, demonstrating the vitality of the collision between history and innovation.

Rich activities convey Beijing's warmth

To vividly present Beijing's charm, the "Hello, Beijing" event created an immersive cultural feast through segments including a cultural performance, a "Hello, Beijing" themed photography exhibition, and intangible cultural heritage interactive experiences.

The lucky draw segment of the promotion event pushed the atmosphere to a climax. The "Beijing Koi" super gift package, containing free air tickets, high-end hotel accommodation, and customized travel routes, actively attracted on-site participants, further strengthening international visitors' perception of Beijing's cultural tourism brand, and writing an invitation letter for "Eastern Easy Travel" with innovation and sincerity.