PATA Welcomes Chimelong Group as a Preferred Partner to Strengthening their Asia Pacific Tourism, MICE Growth, Responsible Travel and Visitor Economy Development

The cultural tourism market of China has got an improved platform in the region owing to the inclusion of Guangzhou Chimelong Group Co., Ltd. as the newest Preferred Partner of the Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA). This collaboration has helped integrate the Asia Pacific tourism network of PATA with the cultural tourism, leisure, hospitality, and MICE services of Chimelong Group to facilitate sustainable development, industry engagement, tourism intelligence, and destination competitiveness in the region. The official announcement of the collaboration by PATA was made on 7 July 2026, considering Chimelong as the premier cultural tourism conglomerate.

A Strategic Partnership Built Around Asia Pacific Tourism Growth

The new agreement is important because it goes beyond a standard membership announcement. PATA and Chimelong Group are positioning the partnership as a platform for mutual advocacy, industry engagement, tourism research, data exchange and visitor economy intelligence. The stated aim is to support the sustainable growth and competitiveness of the Asia Pacific visitor economy, while advancing more responsible tourism practices across the hospitality and tourism sectors.

This matters at a time when destinations across Asia Pacific are competing not only for visitor numbers, but also for higher-value tourism, stronger local benefits, better visitor management and more resilient tourism models. A partnership between a regional tourism association and a major cultural tourism operator can help connect practical destination experience with wider policy, research and industry collaboration.

Chimelong Brings Major Cultural Tourism Scale To PATA’s Network

Chimelong Group brings considerable scale to the partnership. According to PATA’s announcement, the company was established in 1989 and integrates theme parks, resort hotels, cultural performances, distinctive dining, business conventions and educational programmes. Over more than 36 years, the group has developed three major cultural tourism resorts: Chimelong Guangzhou Resort, Chimelong Hengqin Resort and Chimelong Qingyuan Resort. Together, they feature seven major theme parks, nine resort hotels with more than 10,000 rooms, and three international circus theatres.

That scale makes Chimelong more than an attraction operator. It functions as a full destination-development model, combining accommodation, entertainment, family travel, events, dining, education and cultural programming. This is exactly the type of integrated tourism product that many destinations across Asia Pacific are now trying to build.

Guangzhou Chimelong Resort Shows The Strength Of Integrated Tourism

Chimelong Guangzhou Resort is one of the group’s strongest examples of integrated destination development. Chimelong’s official profile describes it as one of China’s first National AAAAA Tourist Attractions, a National Demonstration Base of Cultural Industry, a National Demonstration Park of Tourism Technology, and a National Agglomeration Area of Nighttime Cultural Tourism Consumption. The same profile says the resort receives more than 20 million visitors every year and is regarded as a major city card for Guangzhou.

The Guangzhou resort includes major attractions such as Chimelong Paradise, Chimelong Safari Park, Chimelong Water Park, Chimelong Birds Park and Chimelong International Circus. This combination allows the destination to serve different visitor segments, including families, school groups, leisure travellers, event visitors, wildlife tourists and entertainment audiences.

Hengqin And Qingyuan Strengthen The Greater Bay Area Tourism Story

The partnership also draws attention to Chimelong’s broader resort footprint. Chimelong Hengqin Resort, located in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, is described by the group as an ocean-themed resort integrating theme parks, resort hotels, cultural performances, business exhibitions, dining and leisure. The resort includes Chimelong Ocean Kingdom, Chimelong Spaceship Park, theatres, themed hotels and serviced accommodation.

Chimelong Qingyuan Resort adds another layer to the company’s portfolio by focusing on forests, wildlife, family hotels, cultural performances, dining and entertainment. Chimelong’s official profile says the resort spans more than 4,000 mu and includes Chimelong Forest Kingdom and Chimelong Giraffe Castle in its first phase.

MICE Tourism Gains A Stronger Role In The Partnership

One of the most important elements of the PATA-Chimelong partnership is the connection with MICE tourism. Chimelong is not only active in leisure travel. Its portfolio includes business conventions, exhibitions, hotels and large-scale visitor facilities. PATA’s announcement specifically identifies the group as a cultural tourism conglomerate providing both leisure and MICE offerings.

This is significant for Asia Pacific because MICE travel creates high-value visitor flows. Meetings, incentives, conferences and exhibitions often support longer stays, hotel demand, transport spending, dining, retail and business networking. By connecting Chimelong’s practical experience with PATA’s regional network, the partnership can support conversations around how major attractions and resort complexes can also function as business-events destinations.

Responsible Tourism Becomes A Key Cooperation Theme

The partnership also places strong emphasis on responsible tourism. PATA said the two organisations intend to advance responsible practices within the region through advocacy, industry engagement, research and intelligence sharing. The agreement’s objectives include enhancing the value of the Asia Pacific visitor economy, strengthening engagement between governments and national tourism organisations, and promoting reliable, unique and comprehensive tourism intelligence.

This is a critical direction. Large tourism destinations can generate powerful economic benefits, but they must also manage environmental impact, visitor flow, workforce needs, community engagement and cultural authenticity. Responsible tourism cannot remain an abstract goal. It needs operational knowledge, data, skills and stakeholder coordination.

Tourism Intelligence Can Help Destinations Compete Smarter

The agreement’s focus on tourism intelligence is especially relevant. In a competitive travel market, destinations need better information on visitor behaviour, spending, seasonality, source markets, event demand and product performance. PATA’s role as a tourism association gives it reach across governments, tourism boards, private businesses and industry bodies, while Chimelong’s large-scale resorts provide practical insight into visitor management and experience design.

This combination can help stakeholders understand what makes large attractions successful, how family tourism demand evolves, how MICE and leisure travel can be integrated, and how destinations can use research to improve visitor value. For Asia Pacific, stronger intelligence can support better planning, smarter investment and more sustainable growth.

Chimelong’s Innovation Story Adds Value To Regional Tourism

Chimelong’s official profile highlights innovation across several parts of its business. The group notes that Chimelong Ocean Kingdom has won international recognition, while Chimelong Spaceship began trial operations in 2023 and set several Guinness World Records, including records linked to aquarium scale, indoor entertainment and projection technology.

These achievements show why Chimelong is being positioned as an innovative cultural tourism enterprise. Modern travellers expect more than passive sightseeing. They want immersive attractions, technology-led experiences, entertainment, themed accommodation, night-time consumption, educational activities and family-friendly design. Chimelong’s model reflects that wider shift in tourism demand.

PATA Gains A Powerful Partner For Visitor Economy Advocacy

For PATA, the partnership strengthens its connection with one of China’s most visible cultural tourism operators. PATA identifies itself as a not-for-profit membership association founded in 1951 and dedicated to advancing a meaningful Pacific Asia tourism economy. Adding Chimelong as a Preferred Partner gives the association another major private-sector voice with practical experience in destination development, attractions, hospitality, events and visitor engagement.

For Chimelong Group, the partnership offers stronger international tourism visibility and deeper engagement with governments, national tourism organisations and private-sector stakeholders across Asia Pacific. It also supports the group’s ambition to build a world-class cultural tourism brand with broader international influence.

A New Platform For China-Led Cultural Tourism Cooperation

The PATA-Chimelong partnership signals a wider shift in the region’s tourism landscape. Chinese cultural tourism enterprises are no longer focused only on domestic visitor demand. They are increasingly part of the global tourism conversation, especially in areas such as theme parks, resort development, hospitality, entertainment, technology, wildlife education and MICE.

By joining PATA as a Preferred Partner, Chimelong Group gains a stronger platform to share experience, exchange knowledge and contribute to regional tourism development. For the wider Asia Pacific visitor economy, the partnership can help advance a more connected, data-informed and responsible approach to tourism growth.

Asia Pacific Tourism Gets A Stronger Cultural Tourism Alliance

The collaboration between PATA and Chimelong Group creates a union between an experienced regional tourist organization and a successful integrated cultural tourism provider. This collaboration is intended to foster sustainable growth, enhance tourism intelligence, build engagement between governments and industries, as well as encourage responsible tourism across the region.

In terms of tourism in Asia Pacific, this event carries a lot of meaning. This demonstrates how a big attraction, resort networks and tourist organizations can work together in the process of improving destination competitiveness beyond mere growth in the number of visitors. If this cooperation proves to be productive and bring real research, industry collaboration and positive results in responsible tourism, it may become a valuable example for developing Asia Pacific tourist economy.