China opened its largest-ever national pavilion at the 2026 World Travel Market in London on Tuesday, showcasing cultural and tourism attractions that offer a taste of the country's charm to global tourists.

Launched in 1980, the WTM is one of the world's largest and most influential travel trade fairs.

The China pavilion, which is hosted by the China National Tourist Office in London with support from the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, spans 490 square meters, 22 percent larger than last year's area.

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This year's pavilion brings together more than 200 participants representing cultural and tourism authorities from 14 provinces, municipalities and autonomous regions, together with 116 tourism enterprises. Macao made its first appearance this year as part of the pavilion. Several Chinese resorts and hotels, scenic attractions, theme parks and golf clubs also made their WTM debut.

The presence of Legoland Shanghai Resort and Royal Caribbean International China at the China pavilion attracted attention at the opening because both are part of international brands with roots outside China.

Altogether, they formed China's largest delegation to the WTM in recent years, with the broadest representation across the tourism value chain.

The theme of this year's China pavilion is "China tourism: culture enriches tourism, innovation shapes the future, global cooperation drives sustainability", said Zhang Li, director of the China National Tourist Office in London, in his welcome remarks at the pavilion's opening ceremony.

"We believe tourism is much more than visiting places. It's about discovering cultures, understanding one another and building lasting friendships," he said.

Zhang Zhixin, minister of China's embassy in the United Kingdom, said China has for the first time included the goal of building a nation that is strong in tourism in its Five-Year Plan, adding that China continues to advance high-standard opening-up and boost inbound tourism through concrete policies and initiatives.

For example, China's unilateral visa-free policy, launched on a trial basis for six countries in 2023, had expanded to cover 50 countries as of September, including 35 in Europe.

The policy continues to drive sustained growth in inbound travel in the third quarter of this year, with visa-free entries by foreign nationals rising 24.1 percent year-on-year to nearly 9 million, Zhang said.

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Throughout the three-day event, a rolling program will feature destination presentations highlighting distinctive local cultures and landscapes, performances, and hands-on workshops where visitors can sculpt dough figures, make traditional Chinese incense, create lacquer fans and more.

Sustainability is another key topic at the event, which resonates with the China pavilion's innovative, eco-friendly approach embedded in its design. Many of the main materials used in the pavilion are recyclable or renewable, while its display units can be dismantled and reused after the event.

At last year's WTM, the China pavilion won the Best Stand Design award.

Contact the writers at zhengwanyin@mail.chinadailyuk.com