China launches English-language smart tourism platform for visitors

China Daily launches English-language smart tourism platform for international visitors

China Daily has launched China Bound, an English-language smart tourism service platform designed to support international travellers visiting China. China Daily publishes an English-language daily newspaper and also operates Chinadaily.com.cn, one of the country’s major English-language news portals.

The China Bound platform is designed as a one-stop service for overseas visitors, offering tools that range from travel inspiration and personalised itinerary creation to intelligent Q&A, ticket bookings, and travel story sharing. The aim is to simplify trip planning and navigation for international tourists exploring destinations across China.

The website, accessible at chinabound.cn, is organised into four main sections: Travel Destinations, Itinerary Planning, Must-buy Items, and Must-try Food. These sections present information on China’s natural scenery, historical heritage, contemporary culture, and local customs in a structured and accessible format. The platform is optimised for desktop and mobile to support browsing across devices.

City- and region-specific sub-sites feature seven dedicated categories: Uniquely in (City), Pre-trip Knowledge, Speciality Cuisine, Popular Attractions, Must-buy Items, Hotel Accommodation, and Festive Activities. Coverage will expand gradually to include additional destinations nationwide.

China Bound has also introduced mini programmes on Alipay and WeChat. The initial Alipay mini programme, supported by Ant Digital Technologies, integrates commonly used travel services, including real-time translation, flight and hotel bookings, train ticket purchases, currency conversion, and digital payments. Users can access it by searching for “China Bound” within Alipay.

To support personalised travel planning, the platform includes an intelligent assistant capable of multilingual interaction. Through this feature, users can build customised itineraries, check traffic conditions, and access information on local culture, along with guided tour suggestions.

China Bound will collaborate with cultural and tourism institutions, museums, and service providers to offer verified content and practical travel services. The initiative is positioned as a digital companion for international visitors, supporting cultural understanding and travel experiences throughout their journey in China.