Hundreds of cultural and tourism industry players, as well as travelers from around the world, gathered at the Global Traveler (Tianjin) Conference in the municipality on Friday.

The event was hosted by the Trip.com Group and TripAdvisor and sought to boost the country's culture and tourism industries, and help Tianjin become an international designation.

The conference featured in-depth discussions and promotions of inbound tourism, while driving the coordinated development of the cultural tourism, exhibition, and business sectors, according to Zhang Ling, vice-mayor of Tianjin.

Trip.com Group's vice-president Wang Wei said the conference was an important moment to share China's voice on global tourism, highlight the characteristics of the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region, and showcase Tianjin's charm.

It was also a valuable opportunity to explore innovative developments in the cultural and tourism industry in China and around the world with industry leaders, Wang added.

He said that the Trip.com Group has conducted content marketing abroad, developed premium inbound travel routes, and activated key source markets, which have produced positive results.

China's cultural heritage and natural landscapes continue to attract international travelers.

Data shows that in the first half of this year, 14.6 million foreign visitors entered China through various ports, a year-on-year increase of 152.7 percent, with 8.5 million entering on visa-free policies, a rise of 190.1 percent.

Tianjin, in particular, serves as a key port for inbound tourism.