Approved by the State Council! Both Wuhan and Yichang are on the list.

Upon approval by the State Council, the Ministry of Culture and Tourism has recently issued the 15th Five‑Year Plan for Building China into a Tourism Powerhouse (hereinafter referred to as the Plan).

Under the section concerning “Layout of Tourism Cities and Characteristic Tourism Destinations”, Wuhan is designated a national tourism hub city, while Yichang is listed as a key tourism city.

The Plan proposes to vigorously develop urban tourism, advance the development of tourism‑leisure cities and blocks, and improve the urban tourism‑leisure system. It will boost integrated tourism development in urban agglomerations including the Beijing‑Tianjin‑Hebei region, the Yangtze River Delta, the Guangdong‑Hong Kong‑Macao Greater Bay Area, the Chengdu‑Chongqing region and the Middle Yangtze River Reaches, to build high‑quality tourism destinations. Tourism hub cities shall give better play to their roles in tourist distribution and radiating driving effects. Tourism hub cities, key tourism cities and characteristic tourism destinations will be guided to optimize service supply.

Efforts will be made to improve transport networks connecting major tourism destinations. Civil aviation infrastructure in key tourism zones will be upgraded and air‑route networks optimized. Construction will be accelerated for connector roads between trunk highways and scenic‑area roads, as well as highways linking scenic spots across adjacent regions. The tourism signage system will be refined. Flight and train services for key tourism cities will be rationally allocated to promote combined multi‑modal tourism transport. Tourism distribution centers will enhance their functions for tourist transfer and shuttle services.

The Plan sets clear targets: by 2030, notable progress will be achieved in the high‑quality development of tourism; the modern tourism system will be further improved; and tangible strides will be made toward building China into a tourism powerhouse. The tourism sector will consolidate its position as a pillar industry, further fuel domestic demand, boost employment and energize the market. The added‑value of tourism and related industries will account for an increasingly larger share of China’s GDP. Public tourism services will keep improving, and public satisfaction with tourism will rise steadily.

The Plan calls for fostering new drivers for tourism development. Aiming to build a modern industrial system, the tourism sector will pursue smart, green and integrated development. Local conditions will guide the development of new‑quality productive forces to foster new competitive edges and realize the overall upgrading of the tourism industry.

Released earlier this year, Wuhan’s Action Plan for Boosting Inbound Tourism (2026‑2028) stipulates that by 2028, the total number of tourists will register an average annual growth of over 8 %, comprehensive tourism revenue will rise by roughly 10 % per year, and inbound tourist arrivals will grow at an annual rate of more than 30 %. Wuhan aims to establish itself as the primary inbound‑tourism gateway city in Central China. The city will increase flight frequencies to Southeast Asia and steadily launch additional intercontinental routes, striving for a total of more than 25 direct international air routes. A fast‑track verification mechanism will be put in place to realize “one‑hour customs clearance for inbound tourists”. Meanwhile, a one‑stop inbound‑tourism information service station will be set up at Tianhe International Airport, integrating services such as communications, payment and currency exchange. More than 300 additional tax‑free shops for departure will be opened.

On July 10, Qunar released its H1 2026 Inbound Tourism Report. According to the report, inbound foreign tourists visited 160 cities nationwide in the first half of the year. Wuhan ranks among China’s Top 20 most‑popular cities for foreign visitors and holds its position as Central China’s No. 1 inbound‑tourism city. Wuhan’s unique cyber‑style charm keeps drawing overseas tourists. The report analyzes inbound‑flight booking data from January to June 2026. Shanghai, Beijing, Guangzhou and Shenzhen occupy the top four positions, with Wuhan in 16th place. Together with Changsha, Xi’an, Zhengzhou and other cities, Wuhan achieved double‑digit growth in inbound flight bookings and has become a core pivot for inbound tourism across Central China. Driven by expanded international air routes and visa‑exemption policies, overseas demand for sightseeing and business travel to Wuhan keeps rising.