SOURCE / PRESS RELEASE
Four months later, 'gold content' of Ya'an's decision on in-depth integration of culture and tourism continues to rise
Inside the Hainan International Convention and Exhibition Center, the Ya'an exhibition area at the Sichuan Pavilion of the 2025 China International Travel Fair was bustling with visitors. British travel advisor Charles White paused, his gaze drawn to the adorable panda-themed cultural and creative products and the "Blazing Mini Tea" drinks with their distinctively designed panda illustrations. "These pandas give the tea a sense of story," he said to the staff with a smile. "The packaging conveys the essence of Ya'an more intuitively than any product description could." Four months after the adoption of the Decision on Promoting the In-depth Integration of Culture and Tourism and Accelerating the Building of Ya'an into a World-Class Giant Panda Cultural Tourism Destination at the Fifth Plenary Session of the Seventh Ya'an Municipal Party Committee, it was now radiating increasingly brilliant light to the world through this international stage.
Efficient policy chain operation: top-level design takes root
The "gold content" of the decision is first reflected in the rapid formation and execution of the policy system. Less than a month after the August plenary session concluded, the Several Policies on Promoting The In-depth Integration of Culture and Tourism and Accelerating the Building of a World-Class Giant Panda Cultural Tourism Destination were officially issued by the Ya'an Municipal Government. In mid-October, the Ya'an Finance Bureau and Ya'an Bureau of Culture, Radio, Television, Sports and Tourism promptly issued the supporting Implementation Rules. This progressive and interlocking policy chain has boosted strong market confidence.
Simultaneously, a top-down ideological mobilization was fully launched. Feng Juntao, Secretary of the Party Leadership Group and Director of the Municipal Bureau of Culture, Radio, Television, Sports, and Tourism, personally led teams to form promotional task forces that went deep into county and district-level government bodies. Their mission was to translate the plenary session's concept of "integrating scenic areas with the city, shared by hosts and guests" into a consensus at the grassroots level. The dual-drive of policy and ideology allowed the decision to rapidly take root in reality from a blueprint on paper.
Strong market data surge: consumer vitality bursts forth
The dividends of the policy were quickly validated in the market. During the 2025 Mid-Autumn Festival and National Day "Double Holiday" period, Ya'an delivered an impressive report card: the city received 4.4566 million tourist visits, achieving a comprehensive tourism revenue of 2.836 billion yuan ($404.8 million), representing year-on-year increases of 11.9 percent and 13.83 percent respectively.
Behind this growth is the vigorous emergence of innovative formats. New consumption models represented by the "Ticket Stub Economy" have linked over 70 participating businesses including scenic spots, restaurants, and accommodations across the city. This initiative transforms cultural and tourism tickets, as well as event admission tickets, into consumption discount vouchers, achieving "one ticket for universal enjoyment and connectivity across the entire region." The "Sichuan Super" series of sporting events has become a model for "traveling with the games." The deep integration of sports and tourism is attracting an increasing number of tourists from outside the province to make special trips to Ya'an.
Accelerated rise of an international brand: panda Ya'an goes global
The "1+5" cultural tourism destination matrix outlined in the decision is beginning to make its mark on the international stage. At the Travel Fair, the "Lungs of Tianfu · Panda Ya'an" brand went global through immersive experiences. Panda cultural and creative products and Ya'an tea products served as cultural ambassadors, conveying to the world the dual charm of Ya'an's ecology and culture.
Future momentum continues to build: release of 'gold content' still in progress
Four months of practice confirm that the deep-seated value of the decision lies in the sustainable development mechanism it constructs.
Breaking barriers through reform, Ya'an is exploring the establishment of a dynamic management mechanism for A-level scenic areas. Using service quality as the benchmark, this mechanism presses scenic areas to upgrade, ensuring every "A-level" plaque can withstand tourist scrutiny.
Gathering people through scene creation, the concept of "the city itself as a scenic area" is being rapidly implemented. The lantern-lit boats on the night cruises of the Qingyi River and the vibrant atmosphere of the Panda Green Island neighborhood are transforming urban spaces into visitable, stayable cultural tourism destinations. The expansion and upgrade of the "Ya'an Tourism Pass" further enhances both the convenience of consumption and the quality of the experience.
Expanding horizons through openness, the Ya'an International Communication Center continues to build its overseas social media matrix. The "Lungs of Tianfu · Panda Ya'an" 2025 Ya'an Cultural Tourism Ambassador Competition just concluded, while the "Ya'an Pandas Go Global" campaign is accelerating its global outreach, heralding an even broader international stage.
From the profound changes in mechanism innovation, to the consumption boom during the Golden Week, to the international acclaim at the Travel Fair, the strategic foresight of the decision has been repeatedly validated by practice over four months. Ya'an, through the dual-helix model of "efficient policy translation + vibrant market dynamism," is driving an astonishing leap from cultural and tourism resources to industrial value.
As the window for the "15th Five-Year Plan" gradually opens, the deeper value of Ya'an's cultural and tourism integration will be further released. This city, named for the panda and built upon its ecology, is providing a "Ya'an Solution" for the deep integration of culture and tourism for China and even the world - its "gold content" is far from its peak.
Efficient policy chain operation: top-level design takes root
The "gold content" of the decision is first reflected in the rapid formation and execution of the policy system. Less than a month after the August plenary session concluded, the Several Policies on Promoting The In-depth Integration of Culture and Tourism and Accelerating the Building of a World-Class Giant Panda Cultural Tourism Destination were officially issued by the Ya'an Municipal Government. In mid-October, the Ya'an Finance Bureau and Ya'an Bureau of Culture, Radio, Television, Sports and Tourism promptly issued the supporting Implementation Rules. This progressive and interlocking policy chain has boosted strong market confidence.
Simultaneously, a top-down ideological mobilization was fully launched. Feng Juntao, Secretary of the Party Leadership Group and Director of the Municipal Bureau of Culture, Radio, Television, Sports, and Tourism, personally led teams to form promotional task forces that went deep into county and district-level government bodies. Their mission was to translate the plenary session's concept of "integrating scenic areas with the city, shared by hosts and guests" into a consensus at the grassroots level. The dual-drive of policy and ideology allowed the decision to rapidly take root in reality from a blueprint on paper.
Strong market data surge: consumer vitality bursts forth
The dividends of the policy were quickly validated in the market. During the 2025 Mid-Autumn Festival and National Day "Double Holiday" period, Ya'an delivered an impressive report card: the city received 4.4566 million tourist visits, achieving a comprehensive tourism revenue of 2.836 billion yuan ($404.8 million), representing year-on-year increases of 11.9 percent and 13.83 percent respectively.
Behind this growth is the vigorous emergence of innovative formats. New consumption models represented by the "Ticket Stub Economy" have linked over 70 participating businesses including scenic spots, restaurants, and accommodations across the city. This initiative transforms cultural and tourism tickets, as well as event admission tickets, into consumption discount vouchers, achieving "one ticket for universal enjoyment and connectivity across the entire region." The "Sichuan Super" series of sporting events has become a model for "traveling with the games." The deep integration of sports and tourism is attracting an increasing number of tourists from outside the province to make special trips to Ya'an.
Accelerated rise of an international brand: panda Ya'an goes global
The "1+5" cultural tourism destination matrix outlined in the decision is beginning to make its mark on the international stage. At the Travel Fair, the "Lungs of Tianfu · Panda Ya'an" brand went global through immersive experiences. Panda cultural and creative products and Ya'an tea products served as cultural ambassadors, conveying to the world the dual charm of Ya'an's ecology and culture.
Project construction is simultaneously accelerating. Panda IP projects centered on the "1869 China Giant Panda Ecological World" and the Yingjing Giant Panda Wild Habitat Exhibition Base are progressing swiftly. Efforts to elevate Mengding Mountain to a 5A-level scenic area and Zhougong Mountain to a national-level tourism resort continue to deepen. These projects are not only concrete manifestations of the decision but also crucial moves in Ya'an's strategy to establish itself as a "world coordinate."
Future momentum continues to build: release of 'gold content' still in progress
Four months of practice confirm that the deep-seated value of the decision lies in the sustainable development mechanism it constructs.
Breaking barriers through reform, Ya'an is exploring the establishment of a dynamic management mechanism for A-level scenic areas. Using service quality as the benchmark, this mechanism presses scenic areas to upgrade, ensuring every "A-level" plaque can withstand tourist scrutiny.
Gathering people through scene creation, the concept of "the city itself as a scenic area" is being rapidly implemented. The lantern-lit boats on the night cruises of the Qingyi River and the vibrant atmosphere of the Panda Green Island neighborhood are transforming urban spaces into visitable, stayable cultural tourism destinations. The expansion and upgrade of the "Ya'an Tourism Pass" further enhances both the convenience of consumption and the quality of the experience.
Expanding horizons through openness, the Ya'an International Communication Center continues to build its overseas social media matrix. The "Lungs of Tianfu · Panda Ya'an" 2025 Ya'an Cultural Tourism Ambassador Competition just concluded, while the "Ya'an Pandas Go Global" campaign is accelerating its global outreach, heralding an even broader international stage.
From the profound changes in mechanism innovation, to the consumption boom during the Golden Week, to the international acclaim at the Travel Fair, the strategic foresight of the decision has been repeatedly validated by practice over four months. Ya'an, through the dual-helix model of "efficient policy translation + vibrant market dynamism," is driving an astonishing leap from cultural and tourism resources to industrial value.
As the window for the "15th Five-Year Plan" gradually opens, the deeper value of Ya'an's cultural and tourism integration will be further released. This city, named for the panda and built upon its ecology, is providing a "Ya'an Solution" for the deep integration of culture and tourism for China and even the world - its "gold content" is far from its peak.
