Shanxi province has held the 2026 Culture and Tourism Work Conference, outlining this year's key tasks for cultural and tourism development, and aiming to establish itself as a hub for integrated cultural and tourism development and a national leader in the sector.

The conference emphasized enhancing literary and artistic creation, with plans to host the Fifth Shanxi Arts Festival and promote Shanxi-style painting and calligraphy. Efforts will also focus on improving public cultural services by organizing 10,000 free rural performances and establishing 80 new public cultural spaces, alongside promoting cultural activities that benefit the public.

The conference emphasized the importance of dynamic protection of intangible cultural heritage, with plans to revise relevant regulations and implement the "Morning Star Plan" to better integrate heritage into everyday life. Meanwhile, the Scenic Area Revitalization Action will be launched to develop sites such as Guan Yu's hometown and Mount Heng into 5A-level attractions, further optimizing the "Cultural Tourism+" model.

The conference also underscored the importance of building a strong brand matrix, creating distinctive marketing highlights, expanding overseas markets, and enhancing Shanxi's cultural and tourism influence. These efforts will be accompanied by measures to improve service quality, strengthen market regulation, and elevate the "Satisfactory Tourism in Shanxi" brand.