Proceedings get underway at the launch of the digital culture and tourism industry-academia alliance in Hangzhou. [Photo/hzpt.edu.cn]

A digital culture and tourism industry-academia international alliance — under the auspices of the Belt and Road Initiative — was recently established in Hangzhou, capital of East China's Zhejiang province.

The alliance has brought together over 110 universities and enterprises from countries including Malaysia, Nepal, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Switzerland, Thailand and Yemen.

Led by Hangzhou Polytechnic, GreenCloud Software Co and Hangzhou City University, it aims to build a new international platform for the development of talent in digital culture and tourism.

It will move to foster cooperation between businesses, universities and research institutes to nurture high-quality digital tourism professionals and advance industry development.

At the launch event, participants watched a demonstration of  Hangzhou's AI-powered digital tourism assistant Hang Xiaoyi, embedded within the Alipay app, which impressed guests by offering real-time customized West Lake travel routes.

The alliance initiative marks a new step in integrating AI, big data and tourism  — with plans for joint training programs, academic exchanges and collaborative setting of standards to drive global digital tourism innovation forwards.

A guest speaker shares her ideas on how to integrate industry and the academic world. [Photo/hzpt.edu.cn]