The year 2026 marks the 70th anniversary of diplomatic relations between China and Egypt, as well as the "China-Africa Year of Cultural and People-to-People Exchanges." On July 20, the "Hangzhou in the Eyes of Diplomats" 2026 China-Egypt Cultural Exchange Event was held in Hangzhou. Hosted by the Hangzhou Culture Radio Television Group and organized by Hangzhou Huazhi Media Co., Ltd., the event brought together representatives to showcase Hangzhou's appeal as a high-quality international tourist destination through intercultural dialogue. Participants also explored new strategies for communicating the city's image and advancing the integration of culture and tourism for inbound travel.

As an iconic Chinese inbound tourism destination, Hangzhou is actively projecting an open, inclusive, and innovative city image to the global community, leveraging its profound cultural heritage and modern service systems.

Laying the Cultural Foundation: Building Core Appeal with World-Class Heritage

The development of sustainable inbound tourism is closely tied to a destination's unique cultural identity and its capacity for storytelling. During the event, guests from China and Egypt engaged in a dialogue focused on the preservation and sustainable development of world-class cultural heritage, highlighting culture as a vital asset for attracting international visitors.

Eman Hussein, Minister-Counselor of the Consulate General of the Arab Republic of Egypt in Shanghai, shared Egypt's experience in sustainable tourism and heritage preservation. She noted that Egypt is actively working to transform its rich historical assets into modern educational and experiential hubs, pointing to the Grand Egyptian Museum as a key example. Hussein expressed her hope for enhanced cooperation between Egypt and China in archaeological research and smart tourism management to foster closer exchanges between the two nations.

Yi Kaigang, Dean of the Institute for Cultural and Tourism Innovation and Development at Zhejiang Gongshang University, focused on the Liangzhu Culture. He highlighted the Liangzhu ruins—which serve as proof of China's 5,000-year history—as a key strategic resource for Hangzhou's goal to become a world-class travel destination. Leveraging national-level platforms like the Liangzhu Forum, Hangzhou is positioning itself as a global hub for inter-civilizational dialogue. Through the development of immersive cultural and tourism programs, this ancient heritage is being preserved through active, contemporary practices, offering international visitors a direct and engaging experience of classic Eastern aesthetics.

Upgrading Services: Easing Travel Barriers with Seamless Experiences

Sustaining the momentum of inbound tourism requires not only outstanding attractions but also a highly convenient, user-friendly service ecosystem. Ensuring that overseas tourists can navigate the city seamlessly is critical to assessing a destination's level of internationalization.

In the thematic exchange session, Huang Ying, General Manager of Zhejiang Digital Culture and Tourism Development Co., Ltd., introduced the development of the "Hi Zhejiang" (Zhejiang Travel) platform. As China's first provincial-level smart service platform tailored for inbound tourists, it is built around the core concepts of "intelligence, inspiration, and one-code access." The platform supports nine languages, offers over 700 selected travel itineraries, and provides exclusive consumer vouchers along with the "Yangtze River Delta Inbound Pass."

By offering features like full-scenario one-code access, Hangzhou aims to reduce common friction points for international travelers, such as language barriers, payment systems, transportation, and reservations. These practical, detail-oriented enhancements are designed to ease the sense of unfamiliarity that foreign visitors often face, steadily enhancing Hangzhou's reputation for warm, international hospitality.

Innovating Experiences: Enhancing Consumer Engagement Through Cultural Integration

Building upon robust service systems, innovative cultural and tourism experience zones act as catalysts to boost international tourist engagement and encourage longer stays.

Wang Sheng, Deputy General Manager of Zhejiang Provincial Cultural Industry Investment Group's Light and Shadow Space, presented the revitalization of the "M511 Light & Shadow Space" (M511 Imagination Cluster). Originally an old industrial facility, the project has been transformed into a digital entertainment and immersive experience hub, successfully hosting renowned international projects such as the virtual reality exhibition "The Horizon of Khufu" (消失的法老). This immersive cultural project, centered on Egyptian history and civilization, attracted over 1.4 million visitors within a year of its launch in Hangzhou, serving as a prominent example of cultural exchange and experience-driven tourism.

During the subsequent cultural exchange panel, speakers Yi Kaigang, Zhao Yupei, Huang Ying, and Wang Sheng discussed the theme of "Reshaping Cultural Experiences and Promoting Transnational Cultural Exchanges." The panelists agreed that through the deep integration of culture and tourism, and the co-creation of international intellectual properties (IPs), destinations can generate lasting interest among global audiences, providing a sustainable foundation for the inbound travel market.

Conclusion

Through this China-Egypt cultural exchange event, Hangzhou has sent a welcoming and inclusive message to global travelers. Moving forward, the city plans to continue its efforts across key areas—including brand-building, product development, service enhancements, and international marketing—to welcome visitors with a blend of modern standards and local hospitality, writing a new chapter in the internationalization of this historic city on the banks of West Lake.