Core Viewpoint - The Chinese cultural tourism complex industry is entering a transformation and upgrading phase, becoming a significant engine for driving domestic demand growth and promoting industrial upgrades. The market size is projected to reach 2.59 billion yuan in 2024, with a year-on-year growth of 16.11% [1][12]. Industry Overview - Cultural tourism complexes integrate culture as the core driving force, combining tourism, commerce, leisure, and residential functions into a comprehensive space. They aim to meet tourists' needs for cultural experiences, leisure vacations, and shopping while promoting regional cultural heritage and tourism industry upgrades [2]. Industry Development History - The industry has gone through four stages: 1. **Emergence Stage (1978-1999)**: Focused on sightseeing with limited cultural integration. 2. **Initial Exploration Stage (2000-2009)**: Increased emphasis on cultural tourism with early projects combining cultural performances and tourism. 3. **Rapid Development Stage (2010-2019)**: Cultural tourism complexes became key for local economic transformation, supported by national strategies. 4. **Transformation and Upgrading Stage (2020-Present)**: Shift towards high-quality, diversified, and technology-driven experiences, accelerated by the pandemic [4][5][6]. Industry Value Chain - The industry value chain includes: - **Upstream**: Resource development, planning, design, and cultural resource/IP development. - **Midstream**: Operation services of cultural tourism complexes. - **Downstream**: Tourists and consumers [8]. Market Size - The market size of the cultural tourism complex industry is expected to reach 2.59 billion yuan in 2024, with a year-on-year growth of 16.11%. The industry is witnessing trends of cross-industry integration, such as "cultural tourism + technology" and "cultural tourism + commerce" [12]. Key Enterprises - Major players in the industry include: - **China Overseas Chinese Town**: Leading enterprise with a comprehensive business model covering theme parks and cultural performances. - **Sunac Culture**: Known for its "ice and snow world + commercial complex" model. - **China Youth Travel Service**: Focuses on integrated tourism services with projects like Wuzhen and Gubei Water Town. - **Yunnan Tourism**: Leverages rich cultural resources for unique tourism projects [14][16][17]. Industry Development Trends 1. **Integration of Immersive Experiences and Smart Operations**: The industry is transitioning from resource-driven to technology-driven, utilizing advancements in 5G, AI, and the metaverse to enhance visitor experiences [20]. 2. **Demand Differentiation Driven by Generational Changes**: The Z generation and the elderly are shaping the market, leading to a focus on unique experiences and wellness tourism [21][22]. 3. **Green Concepts and Industrial Synergy**: The industry is moving towards low-carbon and industrialized upgrades, with a focus on sustainable practices and collaboration across sectors [23].