On the cruise deck, You Haiyang, Second-Level Inspector of the Shanghai Municipal Commission of Culture and Tourism; Ding Bo, Deputy Editor-in-Chief and Party Secretary and Chairman of The Paper (Shanghai Press Group); Dong Luo, Vice President of Shanghai Jiushi (Group) Co., Ltd.; and Xu Zhe, Deputy General Manager of the Marketing Department of China Eastern Airlines Corporation, jointly rang the bell to officially launch the "China Destination" project.

On the cruise deck, the "China Destination" project sounded its bell to set sail.

"China Destination," guided by the Shanghai Municipal Commission of Culture and Tourism, initiated by Shanghai Media Group and Jiushi Group, organized by The Paper and Jiushi Travel, and supported by China Eastern Airlines, is the first media-driven initiative launched by mainstream institutions to explore cultural themes and promote national tourism routes.

The whistle of the Pujiang cruise ship sounded, officially launching "China Destination."

Ding Bo, Deputy Editor-in-Chief of Shanghai Media Group and Party Secretary and Chairman of The Paper, said in his speech that "China Destinations" will conduct in-depth research to analyze consumer needs and explore integrated development models for culture, sports, arts, tourism, and commerce. It will distill cultural themes and leverage academic expertise to enhance the value of "China Destinations." By following market principles and precisely stimulating the vitality of cultural tourism, it aims to support Shanghai as the "first stop for inbound tourism" and promote the "China Destinations" brand into the international market.

Shanghai writer Chen Danyan delivered a keynote speech titled "The World Is Connected by Water." She pointed out that the integrated public space along the Huangpu River and Suzhou River is one of Shanghai's proudest achievements, embodying the city's spirit. "We hope for global harmony and a world united as one family," she said. As a native of Shanghai, she expressed her deep affection for the "One River, One Stream" initiative and extended her best wishes for the launch of "China Destination."

Zhang Jun, Vice President of The Paper and Director of The Paper Research Institute, said in the project presentation that a destination is not merely a geographical coordinate, but also our spiritual home. Shanghai, situated at the confluence of rivers and seas and at the heart of northern and southern China, boasts a vast consumer market, abundant cultural talent, international and modern cultural venues, and an extensive transportation network connecting the country and the world. "China Destinations" will launch from Shanghai, leveraging a "tourism+" strategy to integrate tourism, exhibitions, culture, and education, supporting Shanghai's development as the premier entry point for inbound tourism and linking the Yangtze River Delta with the rest of China.

Cultural and tourism officials from cities including Hefei, Jiaxing, Shaoxing, Xuancheng, Nanjing, and Dalian delivered city promotions at the launch event. Additionally, representatives from cultural and tourism bureaus of Shanghai's Jing'an, Changning, Hongkou, Putuo, Baoshan, Fengxian, Qingpu, and Chongming districts attended the event. The media coverage of the launch ceremony was also supported by IP SHANGHAI.

More than sixty guests from government, business, and academic circles attended the launch ceremony of "China Destination."

China Destination: Five "1s" to Create a Distinctive National Cultural and Tourism Route

China Destination will leverage The Paper's content discovery capabilities, rooted in culture, to deeply explore regional cultural and tourism characteristics, enrich the cultural and tourism experience, and focus on one cultural theme each year.

"China Destination" will depart from Shanghai, leveraging the city as a major cultural, transportation, and resource hub, connecting the Yangtze River Delta through annual cultural themes, linking across China, and creating a series of new cultural tourism routes and experiences.

Explore new cultural tourism routes and create a product matrix. Based on cultural geography research, "China Destinations" will integrate annual cultural themes with big data analysis to produce thematic research reports, travel guides, short films, and cultural creative products.

In the long term, China Destination will help build a more integrated consumption network, extending consumer engagement from physical spaces into virtual platforms by leveraging digital technologies to connect consumers with destinations. Guided by the concept of "tourism+", it will integrate resources from culture, exhibitions, commerce, and sports, establishing a collaborative network among government, academia, and industry to foster mutual exchange and shared success.

The first season of "China Destination" will officially launch in mid-September, focusing on "Shanghai + Water Towns," and exploring and promoting the Jiangnan water culture through systematic, diverse, cross-disciplinary, and multi-sensory approaches. The season aims to uncover the essence of Jiangnan's water culture, design distinctive cultural travel routes, and allow audiences to experience the unique charm of this culture while reflecting on the intersection between individual lives and history.

Viewing the Lujiazui skyline across the river from the "China Destination" logo.

The Paper has launched several cultural and tourism media products.

In recent years, The Paper's urban think tank, The Paper Research Institute, has continuously focused on the development of the cultural and tourism industry, collaborating with multiple organizations to launch integrated media products for culture and tourism, helping enhance the intellectual depth and premium quality of content dissemination in this sector.

Urban cultural tourism projects recently launched by The Poynter Institute.

The "Urban Stroll" column by The Paper Research Institute has long focused on local communities and people, observing urban life from a micro perspective and documenting the rhythms and patterns of cities. In 2020, following the Suzhou River, it explored the 42-kilometer shoreline integration in central Shanghai through music events, discussions, and field research, culminating in the publication of the book *Walking Along the Suzhou River*. In 2022, The Paper Research Institute collaborated with Bailian Group to unlock new commercial spaces, launching three urban tour routes: along the Suzhou River, Huaihai Middle Road–Nanjing East Road, and North Bund.

On the occasion of the 70th anniversary of the Shanghai Museum, The Paper launches a special feature titled "Falling in Love with Museums," exploring the impact of museums on urban development from the perspectives of "museums and metropolises" and "museums and city dwellers," and examining how museums and cities nourish each other and illuminate one another.

In 2023, The Paper collaborated with the Nantong Municipal Culture, Radio, Television and Tourism Bureau to launch the cultural tourism campaign "Nantong Fun: Tracing the 'First Modern City of China'," exploring the cultural connections between Shanghai and Nantong, telling compelling stories about Nantong's tourism appeal, and guiding visitors from Shanghai and surrounding areas to experience Nantong's unique travel offerings.

Guests at the event viewed the "Shanghai 'One River, One Stream' Child-Friendly Space Photo Album" released by The Paper Research Institute.

In the future, "China Destination" will continue to explore new models and pathways for cultural and tourism integration through the "Shanghai+" concept, offering travelers richer, more personalized, and higher-quality cultural and tourism experiences.