TITLE:
An Exploration of the Upgrade Path for the Tongzhou Grand Canal International Consumption Zone under the Orientation of Youth Consumption
AUTHORS:
Siyu Li, Jiatan Wang, Yingrui Li, Xiaoxu Qi
KEYWORDS:
Tongzhou Grand Canal, International Consumption Zone, Youth Consumer Group, Culture and Tourism Integration, Innovative Development
JOURNAL NAME:
Open Journal of Social Sciences,
Vol.14 No.7,
July
29,
2026
ABSTRACT: Against the backdrop of deep integration of culture and tourism and the rapid development of the digital economy, the youth demographic has emerged as a core force driving consumption trends and determining the competitiveness of cultural tourism projects. The Tongzhou Grand Canal International Consumption Zone, as a key carrier for the integrated development of culture, tourism, and commerce in Beijing’s sub-center, possesses unique advantages in becoming an international consumption destination due to its rich Grand Canal cultural heritage and the spillover effects of Universal Beijing Resort. However, in practice, it faces challenges such as weak youth customer loyalty, traditional expression of cultural IP, homogenized consumption scenarios, insufficient digital application, and a lack of youth participation mechanisms. This paper focuses on the youth consumer group aged 18 - 35, analyzing their consumption characteristics—cultural confidence, emphasis on experience, social motivation, and preference for trends. It systematically diagnoses the current development status and pain points of the Grand Canal International Consumption Zone. Subsequently, it constructs an innovative project system from four dimensions: cultural IP revitalization, scene experience reconstruction, digital technology empowerment, and youth co-creation operations. Additionally, safeguard measures are proposed from five aspects: policy, funding, talent, publicity, and transportation. The research aims to provide theoretical reference and practical pathways for the zone to accurately attract youth, enhance cultural identity, and strengthen its core competitiveness, thereby contributing to the construction of an international consumption hub in Beijing’s sub-center and promoting high-quality regional economic development.