Hangzhou sets ambitious targets for 2027 under its "1111" plan. [Photo/hangzhou.com.cn]

Hangzhou shared its vision of becoming China's top digital cultural tourism destination during a groundbreaking digital culture and tourism industry conference on Nov 4, marking the city's increased focus on this sector.

Leveraging its reputation as one of China's digital economy leaders, Hangzhou is now primed to accelerate the fusion of technology with cultural tourism through initiatives such as cloud tourism and smart travel.

The city's digital cultural tourism sector generated approximately 860 billion yuan ($120 billion) in 2023, indicating robust growth potential. To fuel this momentum, Hangzhou set ambitious targets for 2027 under its "1111" plan, which includes reaching annual industry revenues of over 1 trillion yuan, maintaining a 10-percent annual growth rate, fostering over 100 leading companies, and establishing over 100 benchmark digital tourism experiences.

Highlights of Hangzhou's digital cultural tourism innovations include the Hangxiaoyi virtual guide, which served 2.5 million visitors during the National Day holiday this year, and immersive experiences such as AR in the Archaeological Ruins of Liangzhu City and Xihu district's M511 Notre-Dame Eternal project.

In conjunction with the conference, the Hangzhou Digital Cultural Tourism Industry Alliance was also established, prioritizing growth in XR large-scale environments and immersive tourism spaces.

The Hangzhou Digital Cultural Tourism Industry Alliance is established at the conference on Nov 4. [Photo/hangzhou.com.cn]