More than a dozen experts gathered in Beijing for a recent forum about the integration of culture and tourism in the digital era.

The forum was part of the 2018 China Internet Culture Conference, which was co-held by China Animation Comic Game Group and Beijing Municipal Culture and Tourism Bureau.

“Museums have become an important destination for tourists, who believe it’s stylish to visit a museum,” Luo Jing, director of museums at the State Administration of Cultural Heritage, said in his speech.

According to him, when China started its reform and opening up policy in 1978, the country only had 349 museums, and the number has since jumped to more than 5,000 today, hosting more than 20,000 exhibitions every year.

He said smart tourism makes it convenient for tourists to make an appointment or listen to an audio guide on their smartphones. Some immersive experiences in museums allow them to learn about knowledge via high technology such as 3D projections.

According to him, the purpose of cultural tourism is to popularize knowledge and culture. It’s important to develop good quality and customized tourism products to cater to different demands of tourists.

“It’s the local culture that attracts tourists to a destination. What we should do is to promote such culture in a proper way to a wider audience,” said Cai Jinghui, co-founder and president of Chinese travel information website, Qyer.

He said Qyer has developed city walks with cultural themes in cites at home and abroad which enable small groups of tourists to travel like a local, exploring the city with the guidance of a local resident with abundant knowledge.

In Beijing, for instance, travelers can choose to stroll along Shijia hutong or Yangmeizhu Xiejie, to have an adventurous journey.