Organisers confirmed on 5 December that the 2025 edition of the Global Tourism Economy Forum (GTEF) will convene in Harbin, Heilongjiang province, from 15-17 December. More than 1,000 delegates – including the UN Tourism Secretary-General, ministers, Fortune 500 CEOs and investors – are expected to gather under the theme “New Quality Productive Forces: Powering the Global Tourism Economy”.
Why it matters – This is the first time the Macau-conceived GTEF has moved to mainland China’s northeast, signalling Beijing’s intention to spread inbound tourism benefits beyond the traditional coastal hotspots. Harbin, famous for its Ice and Snow Festival, has just been designated a national demonstration zone for all-season tourism and is investing heavily in visa-free charter flights from Europe and the Americas.
![Harbin to host Global Tourism Economy Forum as China courts inbound travel]()
Forum agenda highlights – Panels will examine China’s unilateral visa-exemption roll-outs, the new 240-hour transit-visa policy and digital payment reforms that featured prominently in recent State Council directives to spur consumption. A dedicated corporate mobility track will discuss talent visas, remote-work permitting and incentives for multinational ski-resort investors in northern China.
Business takeaways – Provincial officials are expected to unveil subsidies covering up to 30 percent of charter-flight costs for foreign tour operators that base winter itineraries in Heilongjiang. Hospitality groups scouting second-tier markets will use the event to sign MoUs; IHG and Marriott have both indicated interest in mixed-use projects around Harbin Taiping International Airport’s new Terminal 3, scheduled for 2026.
Travel managers should note that Harbin will activate temporary fast-track lanes for GTEF badge holders at the airport and at Sino-Russian land ports in Suifenhe and Heihe, cutting arrival formalities to under 15 minutes.
Why it matters – This is the first time the Macau-conceived GTEF has moved to mainland China’s northeast, signalling Beijing’s intention to spread inbound tourism benefits beyond the traditional coastal hotspots. Harbin, famous for its Ice and Snow Festival, has just been designated a national demonstration zone for all-season tourism and is investing heavily in visa-free charter flights from Europe and the Americas.
Forum agenda highlights – Panels will examine China’s unilateral visa-exemption roll-outs, the new 240-hour transit-visa policy and digital payment reforms that featured prominently in recent State Council directives to spur consumption. A dedicated corporate mobility track will discuss talent visas, remote-work permitting and incentives for multinational ski-resort investors in northern China.
Business takeaways – Provincial officials are expected to unveil subsidies covering up to 30 percent of charter-flight costs for foreign tour operators that base winter itineraries in Heilongjiang. Hospitality groups scouting second-tier markets will use the event to sign MoUs; IHG and Marriott have both indicated interest in mixed-use projects around Harbin Taiping International Airport’s new Terminal 3, scheduled for 2026.
Travel managers should note that Harbin will activate temporary fast-track lanes for GTEF badge holders at the airport and at Sino-Russian land ports in Suifenhe and Heihe, cutting arrival formalities to under 15 minutes.
