Guilin to host 19th global tourism conference

The 2025 UN Tourism/PATA Forum on Tourism Trends and Outlook, hosted by UN World Tourism Organization (UN Tourism) and Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA), will be held in Guilin from Sept 18-20, 2025.

Focused on resilience, sustainability and smart tourism, it will gather global elites to shape the industry's future.

Over three days, sessions will cover key topics: UN Tourism-led discussions on tourism governance with speakers from Slovenia, Indonesia and Brazil; PATA's focus on Asia-Pacific resilience, featuring cases from Nepal and Spain; and Hong Kong Polytechnic University's forum on talent development.

Guilin's session will explore innovation in meetings, incentives, conferences and exhibitions, chaired by Xu Jing, former UN Tourism executive, and featuring experts from Greece, South Korea and China.

On Sept 19, opening speeches will be delivered by UN Tourism's Liu Shijun, PATA President and local leaders. Keynotes include TUI Group's analysis of European markets and Alipay's Fliggy on digital practices, followed by panels on smart destinations and economic measurement.

Post-conference tours will showcase Guilin's attractions. As UN Tourism's annual China platform, the event aims to offer "Guilin Solutions" for sustainable tourism, advancing the city's bid to become a world-class destination.