China Leisure Economy Forum is the only recurring international platform in the country devoted entirely to the booming leisure economy. Convened every October in Hangzhou, the three-day event gathers 1,200 delegates from culture-tourism bureaus, resort developers, outdoor-gear brands, wellness operators, theme-park groups, e-commerce platforms, venture-capital funds and policy research institutes. The 2024 edition, scheduled for 16-18 October at the Hangzhou International Expo Centre, is built around the theme “Leisure as Growth Engine: Consumption, Technology, Sustainability”. Plenary sessions will dissect how Gen-Z travel behaviour, short-video marketing and low-carbon mobility are reshaping leisure spending, while parallel tracks focus on night-time economy, sports tourism, camping industry standards, and health-focused hospitality. A 15,000 m² exhibition zone will host 220 booths where provinces present new rural homestay clusters and cruise lines unveil winter itineraries. High-level speakers confirmed include the Vice Chairman of the National Tourism Administration, the Mayors of Sanya and Dunhuang, Alibaba’s VP for Local Services, Accor Greater China CEO, Trip.com Group CSO, and the founders of Keep, Mafengwo and Bilibili’s Tourism Channel. The Forum also serves as the release venue for the annual China Leisure Development Index and for the “Top 50 Leisure Cities” ranking. An investor-matching session on day two pairs project owners with hotel REITs and private-equity houses; last year 680 million USD in deals were signed. Academic workshops co-organised with the China Tourism Academy will explore AI-driven revenue management and the carbon-footprint accounting of ski resorts. Delegates can join tech tours to Alibaba’s smart hotel lab and to the 19th Asian Games legacy venues. The entire programme is conducted in Chinese with simultaneous English interpretation; international participants can access a digital twin platform for livestreaming and 1-to-1 networking. Registration is open to trade visitors until 30 September and includes access to all keynotes, the exhibition, networking lunches and the West Lake night cruise.