On September 3, the opening ceremony for the V-Town Zhong’an Sports Event, held in conjunction with the 2026 China Culture & Tourism Industries Expo, took place at V-Town Zhong’an Sports Town in Tianjin.

Attendees included Xue Hui, Secretary of the Party Leadership Group and Director of the Tianjin Municipal Sports Bureau; Chen Bing, Member of the Party Leadership Group and Deputy Director of the Tianjin Municipal Bureau of Culture and Tourism; Chen Xi, Member of the Party Leadership Group and Deputy Director of the Tianjin Municipal Sports Bureau; Chai Shufang, Member of the Party Leadership Group and Deputy Head of the Xiqing District Government; Du Xueping, Secretary of the Party Leadership Group and Director of the Xiqing District Sports Bureau and First-Class Researcher; Olympic gold medalist Tong Wen, Deputy Party Secretary and Principal of the Tianjin Sports School; Wang Shuye, Deputy Director of the Sports Industry Division of the Tianjin Municipal Sports Bureau; Olympic gold medalist Wang Hao, a diving coach at the Tianjin Swimming Sports Management Center; GOLFZON China Chairman Park Young-jo; and senior representatives from Zhong’an Sports Group. Partners, industry representatives, members of the media, local residents and visitors also attended the event. Following the opening ceremony, key guests visited GOLFZON Tianjin CITYGOLF and toured the venue.

Under the theme “Empowering Culture and Tourism Through Sports, Creating Value Through Integration,” the event highlighted new consumer experiences and opportunities for collaboration created by bringing sports together with the culture and tourism industries. From September 3 to 6, GOLFZON Tianjin CITYGOLF and the GOLFZON Driving Range Tianjin Flagship location served as experience zones, giving visitors an opportunity to try golf firsthand.

GOLFZON Tianjin CITYGOLF is the world’s first indoor 18-hole digital golf course, combining GOLFZON simulators with real putting greens to deliver an immersive round experience and a professional competitive environment. On August 31, the China Main Event of the fifth GOLFZON CHINA OPEN concluded at the venue. Hundreds of golfers from across China competed in more than 6,000 rounds, with a total of 82 players securing spots in the Final Round.

During the event, visitors were also able to experience digital golf at CITYGOLF and explore a new form of leisure that brings together sports, culture and tourism. The GOLFZON Driving Range Tianjin Flagship location, the first large-scale GOLFZON driving range in China, is equipped with approximately 40 GOLFZON simulators. Visitors could receive swing guidance and shot-data analysis, as well as take part in an 18-hole competition recognizing the top three players each day.

During China’s 15th Five-Year Plan period, the country plans to further strengthen the role of sports in stimulating domestic demand, unlocking sports consumption potential and supporting the growth of the sports industry. China is also targeting a total sports industry value of more than RMB 7 trillion by 2030 as it continues to integrate sports more closely with broader economic and social development.

As nationwide fitness initiatives expand and cross-industry integration accelerates, approaches that use sports to promote tourism and tourism to support the growth of sports are gaining attention as new models for urban development. As one of Tianjin’s digital sports landmarks, GOLFZON Tianjin CITYGOLF demonstrates the potential for new spaces that bring sports, culture and tourism together. By offering immersive experiences to local residents and visitors, the venue is helping broaden opportunities to engage with sports while contributing to the development of new sports, culture and tourism experiences.