TPO Advances Wellness Tourism Cooperation with Chinese Member Cities through AI-Powered Dialogue

The Tourism Promotion Organization for Global Cities (TPO) held the TPO Regional Meeting 2026 for Chinese Members online on May 27, bringing together its Chinese member cities to discuss ways to strengthen inter-city cooperation in the field of wellness tourism.

Held under the theme “Wellness Tourism: Connecting Cities, Creating Values,” the meeting reflected the growing importance of wellness tourism in the post-pandemic era, as travelers increasingly seek health, healing, recovery, and a better quality of life. Wellness tourism is now gaining attention as a key area that connects the sustainability of urban tourism with distinctive local resources.

Approximately 20 participants attended the meeting online, including representatives from seven major Chinese member cities — Sanya, Guangzhou, Lijiang, Dujiangyan, Dalian, Foshan, and Qiannan Prefecture — as well as officials from Dalian University of Technology. Among the participating cities, Sanya, Guangzhou, and Lijiang are also well-recognized destinations among Korean travelers.

During the meeting, TPO shared its annual plans and major achievements, while member cities discussed future directions for enhancing exchange and cooperation among Chinese members. TPO also introduced key upcoming events, including the 10th TPO Forum, scheduled to be held in Taichung, in September, and reaffirmed its commitment to expanding policy exchange and collaborative initiatives among member cities.

In addition, Dalian was selected as the host city for the next TPO China Regional Meeting, raising expectations for continued policy dialogue and cooperation among Chinese member cities.

Dalian, one of TPO’s founding-era members that joined the organization in 2002, is a leading international marine tourism city in northeastern China. The city has attracted visitors from across Asia through the Dalian International Acacia Flower Festival, which has a history of 35 years. Supported by direct flight routes with the Republic of Korea, Dalian has also established itself as a familiar tourism destination for Korean travelers.

With inbound tourist arrivals increasing by more than 70 percent year-on-year in 2025, Dalian is showing strong growth momentum. As the next host city of the TPO China Regional Meeting, Dalian is expected to further strengthen its role as a hub for exchange and cooperation among TPO’s Chinese member cities.

On the same day, the TPO Workshop was also held, during which Chinese member cities presented their wellness tourism policy directions and practical initiatives. Participating cities shared city-specific models of wellness tourism based on their respective strengths and resources, including medical tourism, traditional healing practices, nature-based tourism, meditation, and resort-style wellness content.

Chinese member cities, in particular, highlighted their strengths in traditional medicine and natural healing resources, presenting detailed examples of local tourism assets and policy implementation. Through these presentations, participants confirmed the potential of wellness tourism to go beyond individual tourism products and connect more broadly with urban health, culture, the environment, and the local economy.

As the keynote speaker, Professor Lina Zhong of the School of Tourism Sciences at Beijing International Studies University reviewed the presentations of the participating cities and provided an analysis of each city’s strengths and potential areas for cooperation. She also shared insights on global wellness tourism trends and policy implications, helping deepen the discussion on future cooperation among Chinese member cities.

The meeting was also notable for its online format, which improved accessibility by allowing member cities to participate without physical travel. To facilitate smooth participation by Chinese member cities, TPO utilized the AI translation function of VooV Meeting, a Chinese video conferencing platform — an innovative initiative that demonstrated new possibilities for technology-enabled multilingual communication in international meeting operations.

“This China Regional Meeting demonstrated how online platforms and AI technologies can help member cities sustain meaningful dialogue and practical exchange beyond the limitations of time and distance.” – Kang Da-eun, Secretary General of TPO-

“It was especially significant that Chinese member cities were able to share their wellness tourism resources and policy experiences while jointly exploring new possibilities for inter-city cooperation. TPO will continue to strengthen its role as a global urban tourism cooperation platform through policy exchange, joint promotion, and knowledge sharing among member cities.” – Kang Da-eun, Secretary General of TPO-