2024 World Cities Branding Conference convened in China's Macao

BEIJING, China, Nov. 18, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- The 2024 World Cities Branding Conference, with the theme "City is eternal creation", concluded on November 1 at the MGM COTAI. Representatives from international organizations, senior government officials, industry experts and thought leaders gathered to exchange insights on city branding, cultural exchange, tourism and sustainable urban development.

Hosted by the Organizing Committee of World Cities Branding Conference, the conference was co-hosted by the Global Tourism Economy Research Centre, and primarily organized by Phoenix New Media Limited. The conference is guided by the Executive Committee of the Guangdong-Macao In-Depth Cooperation Zone in Hengqin, the Commerce and Investment Promotion Institute of Macau SAR, the Cultural Affairs Bureau of the Macau SAR Government, and the Macau Government Tourism Office. The Macau World Cities Branding Promotion Association serves as the local host, with MGM as the chief partner and official venue provider. The event established in-depth cooperation with organizations and institutions such as the Regional Brand Communication Research Institute of Communication University of China. 

Originally launched in 2023 in Macao, the World Cities Branding Conference aims to create a global platform where cities can showcase best practices in brand-building to fuel economic growth, promote cultural heritage, and explore new growth opportunities in cultural and tourism sectors.

The "2024 Great Wall Award - Culture & Tourism Branding Award" was unveiled on November 2 in Zhuhai's Hengqin District. This year, 70 outstanding cases made the final selection, with Gansu Province's integrated marketing campaign on culture and tourism earning the Gold-Level Case Study honor, and Harbin City's Culture and Tourism Branding and Promotion Campaign awarded as the Most Influential.

Notable participants included Kim Won-soo, Former Under-Secretary-General of the United Nations, Rector of the Global Academy for Future Civilizations, Kyung Hee University in Korea; Ms. Pansy Ho, Vice Chairman of the All-China Federation of Industry and Commerce,  Chairperson of the Global Tourism Economy Research Centre; Vincent U, Representative of Secretary for Economy and Finance of the Macao Special Administrative Region Government, President of Commerce and Investment Promotion Institute, Macao SAR; Sun Yaohua, Director of the Economic Department of the Liaison Office of the Central People's Government in the Macao SAR; Philippe FAURE, Ambassadeur de France, Former Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs, Honorary Chairman of Atout France, Founder and CEO of La Liste; Robinson JEAN LOUIS, Ambassador of the Republic Madagascar to China; Enna Park, former Ambassador of the Republic of Korea to the UK; Former Ambassador for Public Diplomacy, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Republic of Korea; Guillaume de RUSSÉ, Vice President at Conseil Général de la Vienne; He Guangwei, Honorary Chairman of the World Cities Branding Conference, Former Member of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, Former Chairman of China National Tourism Administration; Du Yili, Former Vice-Chairman of China National Tourism Administration; Sun Yusheng, Editor-in-Chief and Executive Director of Phoenix Satellite Television Group, Chairman of the Board of Director and Chief Executive Officer of Phoenix New Media Limited; Zhang Guohua, President of the China Advertising Association(CAA), Global Vice President of the International Advertising Association; Zhang Tingting, Executive Chairwoman of the World Cities Branding Conference, Vice Dean of the Institute of Regional Branding and Communication at Communication University of China.

The conference welcomed over 600 attendees from across China and around the globe, including senior officials from cultural and tourism departments in Gansu, Xinjiang and cities such as Shijiazhuang, Guangzhou, Shenyang, Guilin and Quanzhou attended the events. Kenneth Feng, President and Executive Director of MGM China Holdings Limited, representing the chief partner and official venue provider; and Jiang Ping, Deputy General Manager of Zhuhai Dahengqin Group Co., Ltd, representing the strategic partner, were also in attendance.  

Host City Macao Highly Praised for Exceptional Culture and Tourism Global Branding

This year marks the 25th anniversary of Macao's return to China and the 3^rd anniversary of the establishment of the Guangdong-Macao In-Depth Cooperation Zone in Hengqin. And Macao was also designated as the Cultural City of East Asia in 2025. The series events of the World Cities Branding Conference held in both Macao and Hengqin underscored the city's commitment to connecting globally while aligning with nation's broader development plan.

"Macao, as an international city, will continue to drive innovation and development", said Vincent U, Representative of Secretary for Economy and Finance of the Macao Special Administrative Region Government, President of Commerce and Investment Promotion Institute, Macao SAR. "Through cross-border collaboration, Macao will create memorable tourism experiences for visitors, deliver impactful exhibitions for businesses, and open new investment opportunities. By pursuing these 'creations', Macao aims to strengthen its global reputation and become a 'golden brand' among international metropolises."

Vincent U further noted that the holding of this conference in both Macao and Hengqin provided a platform for Chinese cultural and tourism brands to reach an international audience while enabling participants from diverse regions to experience the unique allure of the Macau-Hengqin collaboration.

Kim Won-soo, Former Under-Secretary-General of the United Nations, Rector of the Global Academy for Future Civilizations, Kyung Hee University in Korea, pointed out in his opening remarks that global civilization has reached unprecedented heights, yet faces complex challenges. "As the primary carriers of human civilization and vital hubs for international exchanges, cities should lead by example in addressing global issues," Kim stated. "The World Cities Branding Conference offers a rare strategic platform to do just that, and Macao's diverse economic development provides invaluable insights for cities worldwide."

Shahbaz Khan, Director of the UNESCO Regional Office for East Asia, praised Macao for its significant contributions. He stated that cities have become a powerful driving force for the development of cultural diversity and global connectivity. "Cities like Macao have gained worldwide recognition precisely because of their efforts in cultural integration, cultural preservation, and the creative industries." Shahbaz Khan highlighted UNESCO's long-standing commitment to embedding culture at the core of urban development strategies, as tangible and intangible cultural heritage plays a vital role in building inclusive, dynamic, and sustainable cities. He added, "The World Cities Branding Conference in Macao provides a platform for fostering urban innovation, cultural preservation, and inclusive growth by facilitating exchanges and interactions among world cities. UNESCO remains committed to supporting these efforts to advance cultural diversity, sustainability, and innovation."

Ms. Pansy Ho, Vice Chairman of the All-China Federation of Industry and Commerce, Chairperson of the Global Tourism Economy Research Centre, emphasized that shaping and promoting a city brand extends beyond image and reputation—it involves cultural heritage, innovation, and a city's global influence and position representing a nation. Ms. Pansy Ho  said Macao, "With its rich history and multicultural identity, serves as a bridge between Chinese and Western cultures and acts as a vital window for Chinese culture on the world stage." She added that she has embraced a role as a creative ambassador of Chinese culture, actively promoting Macao's cultural legacy and innovation. She aims to foster greater cooperation between Macao and the mainland to achieve Macao's diversified development, grounded in its heritage and connected to the world.

Dennis Bax, Chief of the UNESCO Communication, Cities and Events Unit, Secretary of the Creative Cities Network, underscored the importance of aligning creative industries with sustainable development to address the complexities of urbanization, tourism, and brand-building. "There is an urgent need to strengthen the synergy between creativity and sustainability to unlock new opportunities for cities and tourism," she stated. Praising Macao's innovative development as a UCCN member, Bax added, "Macao exemplifies how a city can enhance its brand through creative assets. Its commitment to integrating gastronomy, culture, tourism, and other creative fields embodies the core mission of the UNESCO Creative Cities Network."

Keynote Speeches and Panel Discussions Highlight Innovative and Sustainable Urban Development

Zou Ming, Editorial Board Member of Phoenix Satellite Television Group, Vice President and Chief Editor of Phoenix New Media Limited, spoke on the "cultural power of returning to a city's origins" from the perspective of branding and communication. He emphasized that while building city brands is crucial, promoting unique city culture and tourism is even more important. "Irreplaceability is key to establishing a lasting city brand, and it is also the essence of vibrant city culture and tourism," he noted. Zou explained that Phoenix hopes to leverage resources and expertise from around the world to make the conference a dynamic platform for showcasing uniqueness, fostering mutual learning, and driving innovative, cooperative development. Phoenix New Media is committed to advancing urban exchanges, particularly through initiatives like the cultural and tourism brand column A New Tourism Craze , which features in-depth interviews with 100 directors of cultural and tourism bureaus across China to highlight each city's distinctive charm. Moving forward, Phoenix New Media will enhance the international profile of city brands with a global perspective, aiming to foster mutual benefit and win-win cooperation through cultural exchange.

A featured roundtable titled "Dialogue Between Chinese and Foreign Cities: Urban Innovation and International Exchanges" was moderated by Lucie Liu, Renowned Trilingual Presenter, General Secretary of the France-China Foundation. Panelists included Philippe FAURE, Ambassadeur de France, Former Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs, Honorary Chairman of Atout France, Founder and CEO of La Liste; Robinson JEAN LOUIS, Ambassador of the Republic Madagascar to China; Guillaume de Russé, Vice President at Conseil Général de la Vienne; and Zhang Guohua, President of the China Advertising Association(CAA), Global Vice President of the International Advertising Association. They engaged in in-depth discussions on topics such as innovative approaches to developing a city's cultural assets, the potential for cross-cultural partnerships between Chinese and international cities, and evolving models for cultural expression and tourism in both domestic and international destinations.

The conference also featured a roundtable titled "MGM Special Macao Dialogue: Her City, Her Economy", moderated by Jiang Heping, Senior International Media Talent. The panel included four distinguished guests: Enna Park, Former Ambassador of the Republic of Korea to UK; Former Ambassador for Public Diplomacy, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Republic of Korea, Lyu Hailin, Former President of UN Women's International Forum; Yue-Sai Kan, Emmy-winning Television Host and Producer, Co-Chair of China Institute in America; and Catarina Lio, Senior Vice President of Brand Marketing of MGM.

The panel discussion drew on the United Nations Human Settlements Programme's "Her City" concept, which aims to enhance women's participation in urban development, fostering sustainable, equitable, and inclusive cities. Panelists highlighted women's unique contributions and potential in areas such as urban development, brand-building, cultural exchange, and social progress. They explored strategies for creating women-friendly cities, the rise of women's influence in the creative industries, and the role of female leadership in advancing urban tourism, business, and cultural interactions.

On the opening day of the conference, the "World Cities Branding Conference Global Collaborative Think Tank" was launched, further enhancing the conference's role as a global thought leader. Kim Won-soo, Former Under-Secretary-General of the United Nations, Rector of the Global Academy for Future Civilizations, Kyung Hee University in Korea presented certificates of appointment to the inaugural group of think tank experts. This distinguished group includes Philippe FAURE, Ambassadeur de France, Former Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs, Honorary Chairman of Atout France, Founder and CEO of La Liste; Zhang Hui, Member of the 14th "Five-Year Plan" Expert Committee of the Ministry of Culture and Tourism; Qiu Guoping, Secretary General of Malaysia OBOR Economic & Friendship Association; Ouyang Changlin, Director of the Live Streaming Committee of CTAA, the Former President of Hunan Broadcasting System; Wang Tong, Vice Chairman of China Urban-townization Promotion Council, Vice Chairperson of China Institute for Innovation & Development Strategy; Li Xuemin, Former Director of the Dongcheng District Bureau of Culture and Tourism, Beijing,  Member of the Expert Committee of the Rural Public Culture Research Institute of the Public Cultural Exchange Center of the Ministry of Culture and Tourism; Ji Xiaodong, President of the China Chamber of Tourism of All-China Federation of Industry and Commerce, Chairman of Dali Yangbi Cangshan Shimengguan Tourism Development Group Co., Ltd; and Scott Chen, Brand Finance China MD, among others.

Multiple Reports Released at the Conference Reveal Key Insights on How Cities Go Viral

The conference welcomed industry experts to present their latest research and insights on city branding, global expansion of cultural and tourism brands and innovative marketing strategies.

Zhang Hui, Member of the 14th "Five-Year Plan" Expert Committee of the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, released a report titled "Image, Structure, and Strength: The 'Regional Brand' of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area". Zhang highlighted that among the world's four major bay areas—the San Francisco Bay Area, New York Bay Area, Tokyo Bay Area, and the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area—the Greater Bay Area stands out as an urban agglomeration-based region with substantial advantages in total population, regional GDP, airport passenger volume, and port container throughput. These factors position it as a high-potential hub for growth, exceeding that of the other three global bay areas.

Scott Chen, Brand Finance China MD, introduced the "2024 Global City Brand Index Report," which reveals that European cities dominate the top 100 rankings, accounting for approximately 37 entries. The Asia-Pacific region has also gained prominence, with 12 Middle Eastern cities joining the list. China is represented by nine cities, including Hong Kong, Beijing, and Shanghai, which rank in the global top 15 as first-tier cities. However, most other Chinese cities rank in the fourth tier. Chen emphasized that a brand is an essential intangible asset, with the development, innovation, and brand value of a city directly impacting its global influence.

Zhang Tingting, Executive Chairwoman of the World Cities Branding Conference, Vice Dean of the Institute of Regional Branding and Communication at Communication University of China, presented the "Annual Cultural Tourism Brand and Communication Trend Report". She outlined ten major trends, including expanding online traffic "out of the circles", creating emotional value, elevating rural cultural tourism, fan-based marketing, immersive new commercial tourism in urban spaces, growth in tourism for small and mid-sized cities, the monetization of Chinese cultural tourism among international visitors, the viral marketing of local cuisines, building cultural assets for city brands, and the design and promotion of local IPs for tourism destinations.

Zhang Tingting emphasized that the annual trends stem from real-world observations and common challenges, but most importantly, from innovative solutions to these challenges. She noted that while going viral may serve as an effective marketing tool, creating a lasting impact requires cities to build brands that resonate with their unique characteristics, fostering genuine, long-term value.

To highlight the creative potential of China's top cultural tourism brands from 2023 to 2024, the conference showcased three standout cases selected from a pool of 70 remarkable projects. These featured campaigns were the Gansu Provincial Cultural and Tourism Integrated Marketing Campaign, Guizhou Province's "Village Super League" football matches, and Shanxi Province's strategic leverage of the popular game "Black Myth: Wukong."

The question of how cultural tourism brands can achieve both viral success and enduring appeal was addressed in a session titled "Great Wall Award Cultural Tourism Dialogue: Analyzing the Annual Traffic Code". In this discussion, heads of cultural tourism departments from several popular destinations joined Xu Yue, Executive Secretary of World Cities Branding Conference, Director of Cultural and Tourism Communication Department of Phoenix New Media Limited, to delve into effective strategies. Government representatives from Macao, Shenyang, Guilin, Quanzhou, and Guangzhou shared their insights and best practices on promoting local cultural and tourism assets, offering valuable lessons in balancing high visibility with sustained popularity.

Award Ceremony Highlights Best Practices in China's Cultural and Tourism Sectors

"The Great Wall Awards - Culture and Tourism Branding" competition is a professional event organized by the China Advertising Association, hosted by the Culture and Tourism Branding Organizing Committee, and executed by the Tourism Communication Research Center of Advertising School of Communication University of China and Phoenix New Media Limited, with Zhuhai Da Heng Qin Company Limited as a strategic partner, MGM as a special strategic partner. Supported by trend releases and authoritative reports academically, media platforms for communication, and industry cases for content, it is a leading domestic cross-industry competition integrating culture, tourism, media, and academia.

Following months of rigorous competition and evaluation by an expert judging panel and online voting, hundreds of submissions were distilled into the annual Gold, Influence, Silver, and Bronze award-winning cases, along with seven categories of Outstanding Cases specially recognized by the Committee. In 2024, a total of 70 outstanding cases achieved final honors.

Zhang Guohua, President of the China Advertising Association(CAA), Global Vice President of the International Advertising Association, noted that the marketing strategies, concepts, and formats of cultural tourism brands have become more diverse, with event-driven, celebrity-led, and integrated marketing approaches flourishing. "By identifying these outstanding cases, we aim to uncover the art of cultural tourism marketing, inspire industry innovation, and promote forward-thinking marketing models for 'excellent cultural tourism brands' nationwide."

Chi Xiaoyan, Executive Director, Executive Director and Senior Vice President of Phoenix New Media Limited, Deputy Director of Marketing Management Committee of Phoenix Satelite Television Group, said that tourism is a two-way journey between the inner-selves and the world. In the context of globalization, cultural exchanges between China and the world are becoming increasingly frequent. "Behind tourism is culture, and even more importantly, a dialogue between civilizations. We deeply feel that it is urgent and important to tell the world the Chinese story and the story of Chinese cultural tourism brands."

Zhang Tingting, Executive Chairwoman of the World Cities Branding Conference, Vice Dean of the Institute of Regional Branding and Communication at Communication University of China, stated that branding is a system. It encompasses not only city positioning, city slogans, city logos, and city visual expression systems but also includes IP development, brand communication, as well as the construction of brand value and brand asset systems. "Over the past decade, our institute has created top-level branding systems for dozens of cities. A good brand embodies a spirit of perseverance, advocating for resolve, steadfastness, and sustained effort, promoting the development of urban culture and tourism through a systematic and scientific approach."

"The selection of exemplary cases for the annual awards is not merely due to their role as models; more importantly, they serve as reminders to the industry on how to build outstanding cultural and tourism brands under the guidance of these exemplary models, thereby steering the healthy development of China's cultural and tourism market," Zhang Tingting added.

SOURCE Phoenix New Media Limited