Sponsored by the Government of Beijing Municipality and the China National Tourism Administration, the Beijing International Cultural Tourism Festival is an annual cultural event initiated in 1998. The festival is held in Beijing and normally in September.

The festival aims at introducing to the world China's historical changes after the reform and opening-up with cultural tourism as the bridge, showing the glamour of Beijing as an international metropolis with a long history and modern civilization as well as the national political and cultural center, promoting the exchanges between Beijing and the world, and boosting the city's economic development.

Being a cultural exhibition platform for different peoples in the world, each Beijing International Cultural Tourism Festival has its own theme. The festival not only comprises cultural programs, but also focuses on mass activities, folk-custom activities and entertainments.

Up to now, the festival has been successfully held five times, attracting great attention from people from all walks of life at home and abroad.

(Official website: www.bjta.gov.cn/wenhua/huigu/1998.asp)