April 2026 WTA Industry News
WTA
Member News
1. Haichang Ocean Park Releases 2025 Annual Report
Source: Haichang Ocean Park
At the end of last month, Haichang Ocean Park Holdings Ltd. (02255.HK) officially released its 2025 Annual Report. During the reporting period, the Group recorded total revenue of RMB 1.549 billion. Due to macroeconomic conditions and capital planning factors, revenue declined year-on-year. The company nevertheless ranked among the “Top 10 Theme Park Operators Worldwide.” Its flagship Shanghai Haichang Ocean Park was listed among both the “Top 25 Amusement /Theme Parks Worldwide” and the “Top 20 Amusement/Theme Parks Asia-Pacific,” while several of its parks and hotels received multiple industry accolades. In terms of project development, construction of the Beijing Haichang Ocean Park is progressing steadily, with all work advancing as scheduled. The project is expected to become operational by 2027, injecting new momentum into the cultural tourism market.
2. Sanya Expands Its Global Tourism Network
Source: Sanya Tourism Board
On April 5, the Sanya Tourism Board signed a strategic cooperation memorandum with Tourism Malaysia, which was officially designated as a “Sanya Tourism Promotion Partner.” At the same time, in collaboration with leading Malaysian industry organizations—including the Malaysia Budget &Business Hotel Association and the Malaysian Association of Tour and Travel Agents—Sanya established overseas tourism promotion liaison offices. Within just one month, Sanya has significantly expanded its global tourism footprint, forming partnerships across key international source markets. To date, it has signed agreements with two tourism promotion partners and established six overseas liaison offices, covering Germany, the Czech Republic, Belarus, Thailand, Malaysia, and other countries and regions.
3. CYTS Launches Customer Care Initiative to Enhance Visitor Experience
Source: CYTS
On April 9, China Youth Travel Service (CYTS) held a forum for its “Care · Share · Love” customer care initiative, officially unveiling five categories and ten service measures, along with nearly 150 complimentary service commitments. The initiative integrates resources across scenic areas, hotels, travel agencies, and venues, offering services such as door-to-door consultation and contract signing, shuttle transportation within scenic areas, luggage storage, and rental of convenience facilities. Through these refined and user-focused measures, CYTS aims to enhance travel experiences and demonstrate the service commitment of a central state-owned tourism enterprise.
4. Tongcheng Travel Co-Launches National Industry-Education Integration Consortium for Silver Wellness and Residential Tourism
Source: Tongcheng Travel
On April 10, Tongcheng Travel, together with Soochow University and North Sichuan College of Preschool Teacher Education, convened the second meeting of the first council of the National Industry-Education Integration Consortium for Silver Wellness and Residential Tourism in Suzhou City. The meeting marked the launch of the construction of a modern industrial institute for senior citizen wellness &residential tourism, and a public practical training center for industry-education integration. Work also officially began on the development of the Standards for Senior Citizen Wellness and Residential Tourism Bases (Destinations). Just six months after the consortium’s establishment, this milestone represents Tongcheng Travel’s transition from a “standards initiator” to an “ecosystem enabler.”
5. Fosun Tourism Supports Hainan Free Trade Port Development
Source: Fosun Tourism Group
On April 13, the 6th China International Consumer Products Expo opened in Haikou, Hainan. Fosun Tourism Group created an immersive resort experience space, showcasing its three core tourism product lines and highlighting its high-quality development achievements. Since 2013, Fosun Tourism has made significant investments in Hainan, including the landmark Atlantis Sanya project. Since opening, the resort has welcomed approximately 40 million visitors and contributed over RMB 3 billion in taxes, strongly supporting the development of the Hainan Free Trade Port and the upgrading of the local tourism industry. Performance indicators remain strong: in 2025, the project generated nearly RMB 1.5 billion in revenue, with an average annual occupancy rate of 84.4% and 6.4 million visitors. During the 9-day 2026 Spring Festival holiday, revenue reached RMB 124 million, up 20% year-on-year, with occupancy as high as 98%. In Q1 2026, revenue from international visitors surged by 175% year-on-year, highlighting strong growth in inbound tourism.
6. Tuniu Releases “2026 May Day Travel Consumption Trends Report”
Source: Tuniu
As the May Day holiday approaches, domestic travel bookings surge. Major cities such as Beijing, Shanghai, Hangzhou, Chengdu, and Xi’an remain leading source markets. Outbound travel is also gaining momentum, with Thailand, Singapore, Malaysia, New Zealand, France, and Italy among the most popular destinations. In terms of consumption trends, demand for group tours remains stable. For short-haul trips, small-group tours, semi-independent travel, and private group packages are increasingly popular. For long-haul outbound travel, tourists are shifting from multi-destination itineraries toward in-depth experiences in a single destination, with Türkiye, Kenya, and New Zealand seeing notable growth in bookings for immersive travel products.
Observations
1. Multiple Airlines Adjust Domestic Fuel Surcharges
Source: People’s Daily Online
On April 1, several airlines—including Air China, China Southern Airlines, Xiamen Airlines, and China United Airlines—announced adjustments to fuel surcharges for domestic routes. For tickets issued on or after April 5, 2026, the surcharge standard is set at RMB 60 per passenger for flights up to 800 km (inclusive), and RMB 120 per passenger for flights over 800 km.
2. 53 China–Japan Routes Fully Suspended in March
Source: Yicai Global
According to the latest data from Flight Manager DAST, a total of 53 China–Japan routes had all flights canceled during March—coinciding with the peak cherry blossom season—an increase compared to February. In total, 2,691 flights between China’s mainland and Japan were canceled during the month, representing a cancellation rate of 49.6%, up 1.1 percentage points month-on-month.
3. 135 Million Domestic Trips Recorded During Qingming Festival Holiday
Source: Website of the Ministry of Culture and Tourism of China
According to estimates from the Ministry of Culture and Tourism’s data center, during the three-day Qingming Festival holiday, domestic trips reached 135 million, up 6.8% year-on-year. Total tourism spending reached RMB 61.367 billion, an increase of 6.6%. The nighttime cultural tourism economy continued to grow steadily, with national-level nighttime consumption clusters recording 45.49 million visits. The proportion of minors among air and high-speed rail passengers increased, and long-distance travel (over 800 km) saw notable growth. Family travel emerged as a core segment, accounting for 37% of total tourism order value.
4. Theme Announced for 2026 International Museum Day
Source: China Tourism News
On April 14, the International Council of Museums announced the theme for International Museum Day 2026 as “Museums Uniting A Divided World,” and the official poster. Set against the backdrop of cultural diversity and integration, the theme encourages museums to serve as cultural bridges—promoting the protection, interpretation, and dissemination of cultural heritage, fostering mutual understanding among civilizations, and contributing to the building of a global community with a shared future. During the event period, a wide range of public programs—including lectures, youth courses, and cultural performances—will be held. Outreach initiatives bringing museum programs into schools, communities, and rural areas will continue to expand, further enhancing public cultural services and maximizing museums’ educational and social value.
5. WeChat Pay Expands to Five More Countries
Source: Beijing News
On April 21, WeChat Pay further expanded its international coverage by integrating with major local payment systems in South Korea, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Malaysia, and Singapore. Travelers can now make payments directly by scanning QR codes. The integration includes ZeroPay (South Korea), LANKAQR (Sri Lanka), PromptPay (Thailand), DuitNow QR (Malaysia), and SGQR+ (Singapore), significantly improving payment convenience for outbound travelers. During the May Day holiday, users making payments via ZeroPay in South Korea will also benefit from preferential exchange rates, further enhancing the overseas travel experience.
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原标题：《April 2026 WTA Industry News》