On 16 July 2026, the Italian Chamber of Commerce in China (CCIC) participated in the Yangtze River Delta Ancient Town Brand GSTC International Sustainable Tourism Exchange Conference, held at Tangxi town, Zhejiang Province, supporting its member company Vireo China in promoting sustainable tourism cooperation between Italy and China.
As China accelerates the transformation of its ancient towns from traditional sightseeing destinations into sustainable tourism models, and the Yangtze River Delta Integration Strategy and the national "China Travel" inbound tourism initiative continue to gain momentum, the conference provided a valuable platform for dialogue between institutional representatives, tourism experts and industry stakeholders. The event focused on sustainable attraction development, international certification and the enhancement of the global competitiveness of China's historic destinations.
Event Highlights:
- The event started in the morning with the visit of Anchang Ancient Town, Shaoxing, in Zhejiang province, followed by our CCIC Board Member Fabrizio Ferrari;
- CCIC Shanghai Office General Manager Antonella Fontanarosa delivered a guest speech during the opening session, reaffirming CCIC's commitment to fostering cooperation between Italian and Chinese organizations in the fields of sustainability, tourism and cultural heritage.
- Luigi Mazzaglia, Chairman of Vireo Srl, officially launched the Yangtze River Delta Ancient Town GSTC Attraction International Sustainable Tourism Certification, marking an important milestone in promoting internationally recognized sustainability standards for tourism destinations.
- The event also featured the signing of a strategic partnership between the Ancient Town and Vireo China for the GSTC Attraction International Certification initiative and the presentation of the Annual Report on GSTC Sustainable Tourism Certification of Ancient Towns in China (Yangtze River Delta).
- International experts shared best practices and case studies on sustainable destination management, including Italian experiences and discussions on the application of GSTC standards to the transformation and upgrading of ancient towns.
- The conference concluded with an interactive dialogue among Chinese and international experts, encouraging knowledge exchange and future collaboration in sustainable tourism development.
Through its ongoing activities, the Italian Chamber of Commerce in China continues to support Italian companies operating in China by creating opportunities for institutional dialogue, business development, knowledge sharing and strategic partnerships that contribute to long-term growth in the Chinese market.
