On October 5, the event titled “Popular Destinations for Youth: Dialogue with Qingxu” was held in Qingxu County, Taiyuan City, Shanxi Province. The event gathered tourism industry experts and local youth from the cultural and tourism sector to discuss strategies to create youth-friendly travel destinations and assess the development of Qingxu’s cultural and tourism industry.
**New Trends and Demands in Youth Tourism**
What kind of travel experiences do young people prefer? Zhang Hui, the director of the Modern Tourism Research Institute at Beijing Jiaotong University and a member of the Ministry of Culture and Tourism’s “14th Five-Year Plan” Expert Committee, believes that young travelers are increasingly drawn to personalized and customized travel products and services. They seek more than just visiting popular attractions; instead, they aim to express their unique identities and lifestyles through travel. As a result, destinations that offer distinctive activities and deep cultural experiences are particularly appealing to young tourists.
Currently, the rise of social media influencers and trends among Generation Z, combined with the quest for travel that emphasizes emotional value, has played a significant role in shaping the tourism landscape. “A single aspect can spark tremendous interest in the market,” Zhang states.
Young individuals are major users of social media, and they enjoy making new friends while traveling and sharing their experiences online. Therefore, travel destinations should focus on interactive and participatory products and services to cater to these social needs.
Additionally, young travelers emphasize experiential and participatory aspects of their trips. Destinations can attract this demographic by providing educational or growth-oriented travel projects and products, such as outdoor adventures, cultural experiences, or theme parks.
“Young people are increasingly interested in cultural experiences during their travels,” Zhang adds. “Destinations and products with rich cultural significance are more favored. It’s crucial to build a product and spatial system with cultural intent.” Historical cities, art exhibitions, and music festivals have become popular among young travelers.
Guo Yuan, manager of the Tourism Development Department at Liuweizhai, also observes that conventional sightseeing no longer satisfies the modern youth’s quest for engaging travel experiences. In response to this trend, Liuweizhai established a traditional food experience center in 2017, allowing visitors to participate in the process of making Liuweizhai’s signature dishes. For instance, visitors can get involved in the preparation of the traditional meat roll, from marinating the meat to mixing the filling and wrapping it, before witnessing the final steaming process carried out by the staff.
Liuweizhai Yunmengwu Scenic Area is built around the esteemed Liuweizhai brand, encompassing traditional food industry tours, intangible cultural heritage exploration, and outdoor camping experiences. The name “Yunmeng” is inspired by one of Liuweizhai’s signature products, braised pork. This traditional delicacy, originating over 1,300 years ago, has evolved through time and is now recognized as a national-level intangible cultural heritage.
Guo highlights that the outdoor barbecue campsite designed for weekend relaxation is specifically crafted to attract young visitors. Guests can choose from various settings—such as cabins, starry rooms, and gardens—or pitch their tents to enjoy outdoor barbecuing.
**Creating New Performance Formats and Venues**
Qingyuan Water City, located in the center of Qingxu County, has been developed as a new cultural and commercial travel destination catering to contemporary young preferences. Brand planner and UNWTO expert Jia Yunfeng summarizes the four key phrases defining young people’s new travel demands: “unique and niche,” “relaxed and free,” “surprises,” and “deep local experiences.” According to him, these keywords reflect young people’s core motivations to express individuality, alleviate stress, avoid preconceived expectations, and become “locals.”
This year, the fireworks display during the National Day holiday brought significant attention to Qingyuan Water City. Zhao Jing, project manager of the Huaying Cultural Tourism Qingyuan Water City, commented that since June, the venue has hosted a series of events including the Qingxu Night Punk Music Festival, tribute concerts, motorcycle culture music festivals, cosplay carnivals, folk art festivals, and more, allowing young visitors to experience its vibrant atmosphere.
Ge Lei, deputy secretary-general of the China Tourism Association, notes that the fireworks and concerts at Qingyuan Water City create a fashionable space for young people, offering emotional value through joyous celebrations. “Today’s youth are drawn to travel experiences that are culturally rich, experiential, and have emotional resonance,” Ge states.
The development of new performance formats and venues relies heavily on technology. “Technology is a crucial force driving the growth of the tourism industry. The deep integration of technology and culture opens up more possibilities for youth tourism,” says Sun Ruofeng, former director of the Science and Technology Education Department at the Ministry of Culture and Tourism.
In the realm of technology development and application, youth play a leading role in the integration of cultural innovation and technology, enhancing the sector’s collaborative and shared experience.
**The Importance of Green Tourism**
Zhang Hui emphasizes that young travelers are increasingly focused on green practices and sustainability during their journeys. They prefer products and services that emphasize environmental responsibility and support local community development. This growing eco-consciousness is profoundly influencing the direction of the youth tourism market, making the development of green tourism destinations critically important.
What constitutes green tourism? Zhang clarifies that it should not be confused with ecological tourism. Ecological tourism emphasizes biodiversity and cultural richness while contributing to social, economic, and ecological sustainability in local communities. Green tourism, however, focuses on sustainable development aimed at promoting harmony between humans and nature, protecting both ecological and cultural environments, and enhancing residents’ well-being.
Ecological tourism tends to target niche markets, whereas green tourism caters to a broader audience.
Despite their differences, ecological and green tourism share similarities: both depend on natural resources and cultural environments, with a foundational commitment to preserving ecological and cultural integrity.
Zhang believes Qingxu has the potential to succeed in developing both ecological and green tourism, given its abundant ecological resources, including forests, rural landscapes, and diverse geological formations.
Indeed, Qingxu County has already gained some successful experience in ecological tourism. The Qingquan Mountain Villa, an ecological education base, has pioneered a model combining ecological tourism with rural tourism, creating an open forest classroom for youth.
Chen Hao, general manager of Qingquan Mountain Villa, explains that the site was transformed from 1,500 acres of barren land. After 15 years of greening efforts, it has evolved into an integrated recreational and ecological resort.
Chen highlights that the focus of Qingquan Mountain Villa’s green tourism is experiential learning, attracting a wide range of visitors, including youth, school children, kindergarteners, and their parents. The villa offers diverse learning programs based on local sandstone landscapes, and visitors can explore a one-kilometer route featuring rock and canyon discovery.
In addressing the current situation in Qingxu, Zhang outlines several suggestions for promoting green and ecological tourism, such as constructing a foundational framework for green tourism development, establishing a robust spatial and industrial system for green and ecological tourism, and advancing new growth points for tourism economy centered on carbon, among others.
“To attract more young visitors, Qingxu must align its tourism development with the characteristics of youth travel, setting a clear theme for its growth and establishing itself as a leader in green tourism,” Zhang concludes.
