Published by ChinaMNC ยท Yanji
Jilin Province Launches Pilot Program for High-Quality Residential Wellness Tourism: What Foreign Founders Need to Know
Jilin Province has issued a pilot work plan to develop residential wellness tourism, aiming to attract longer-stay visitors and create new business opportunities. Foreign founders can learn about the policy's targets, key tasks, and implications for their operations in China.
Jilin Province Launches Pilot Program for High-Quality Residential Wellness Tourism
On May 9, 2026, the General Office of the Jilin Provincial People's Government issued the "Pilot Work Plan for Promoting High-Quality Development of Residential Wellness Tourism in Jilin Province" (Jizhengbanhan [2026] No. 37). The plan, effective from its publication date, outlines a strategic initiative to develop a residential wellness tourism industry, leveraging the province's natural ecology, summer leisure resources, and traditional Chinese medicine wellness advantages. For foreign founders operating or planning to operate in China, this policy signals new opportunities in the wellness, tourism, and senior care sectors.
Policy Objectives and Targets
The plan aims to transform Jilin into a "second home" destination that integrates summer leisure, wellness vacations, and cultural experiences. It seeks to expand the customer base for stays exceeding 10 days and establish a migratory bird-style residential pattern. By 2028, the province targets:
- 6 pilot residential wellness counties (cities, districts)
- 6 pilot residential wellness resorts
- 10 pilot residential wellness scenic area clusters
- 20 pilot residential wellness villages
- 30 pilot residential wellness communities
- 80 pilot residential elderly care institutions
- 30,000 new residential wellness beds
- Annual growth of over 10% in visitors staying more than 10 days, reaching 3.8 million person-times by 2028
The plan envisions building residential wellness clusters around the Greater Changbai Mountain region and the Changchun metropolitan area, as well as along the Songhua River Basin and National Highways G331 and G334. It also aims to cultivate and promote the Greater Changbai Mountain summer residential wellness brand and nationally recognized residential destinations.
Key Tasks for Implementation
The plan details three main tasks with specific measures:
1. Developing Work Guidelines and Resource Inventory
- Compile the "Jilin Province Residential Wellness Pilot Work Guidelines" to provide guidance and standards for core tourism features, wellness business formats, and supporting services (led by the Provincial Department of Culture and Tourism).
- Select key tourism counties, resorts, scenic area clusters, villages, residential wellness communities, and elderly care institutions across the province for pilot programs, aiming to form replicable and scalable experiences (led by the Provincial Department of Culture and Tourism).
- Establish a comprehensive resource inventory and reserve database, compile and publish the "Jilin Province Residential Wellness Resource Directory," and create a "Residential Wellness Resource Map" to systematically present resource distribution and spatial layout (led by the Provincial Department of Culture and Tourism).
2. Cultivating Diverse Residential Wellness Formats
The plan outlines six specific formats, each with designated lead departments and responsibilities:
- Residential wellness counties (cities, districts): Build urban residential wellness destinations integrating ecological sightseeing, cultural experiences, health preservation, and leisure shopping. Focus on utilizing core scenic areas, city parks, and leisure blocks, improving public service facilities such as healthcare, elderly care, culture, and sports, and enhancing smart service levels (led by the Provincial Department of Culture and Tourism, Development and Reform Commission, Natural Resources Department, Health Commission, Civil Affairs Department, and Sports Bureau).
- Residential wellness resorts: Develop high-end, internationalized resorts with improved multilingual reception and international service standards. Add wellness centers and develop exclusive services such as private health managers and customized healing courses (led by the Provincial Department of Culture and Tourism).
- Residential wellness scenic area clusters: Expand wellness functions in scenic areas with residential conditions, integrate with surrounding dining, shopping, leisure, and medical services, and encourage consumption linkage mechanisms such as mutual discounts and price coordination (led by the Provincial Department of Culture and Tourism and Department of Commerce).
- Residential wellness villages: Create multi-themed rural residential experiences, including "slow life" villages, with public spaces like rural cafes, reading rooms, and tea houses. Encourage "whole-village operation" models to achieve win-win outcomes for enterprises, village collectives, and farmers (led by the Provincial Department of Culture and Tourism and Department of Agriculture and Rural Affairs).
- Residential wellness communities: Revitalize existing resources to develop "small and beautiful" communities with distinctive features. Support the development of underutilized state-owned assets, inefficient urban buildings, unsold commercial housing, forest wellness bases, forestry hotels, and employee recuperation bases (led by the Provincial Department of Culture and Tourism and other relevant departments).
Foreign founders should note that the plan encourages internationalized services, which may create demand for foreign expertise in wellness, hospitality, and senior care. The focus on revitalizing existing assets and developing integrated services could also open opportunities for foreign investment in renovation, management, and operations.
3. Operational Guidance for Foreign Founders
For foreign founders looking to participate in this emerging sector, the following practical steps are recommended:
- Monitor policy updates: The plan is a pilot program, so details may evolve. Keep an eye on announcements from the Jilin Provincial Department of Culture and Tourism and other lead agencies for specific implementation rules and opportunities.
- Engage with local governments: The plan emphasizes county-level implementation. Building relationships with local authorities in target areas (e.g., Greater Changbai Mountain, Changchun metropolitan area) can help identify partnership opportunities.
- Leverage international expertise: The plan calls for internationalized resorts and multilingual services. Foreign founders with experience in wellness tourism, senior care, or hospitality management may find niche opportunities.
- Consider joint ventures or partnerships: The "whole-village operation" model and public-private collaborations suggest potential for partnerships with local villages, enterprises, or state-owned assets.
- Ensure compliance: Foreign investment in tourism and elderly care sectors is subject to China's negative list and relevant regulations. Consulting with professionals is essential before committing resources.
While the plan does not provide specific incentives for foreign investors, it indicates a supportive environment for developing residential wellness infrastructure and services. Foreign founders should assess market demand, regulatory requirements, and local conditions carefully.
Conclusion
Jilin Province's pilot program for residential wellness tourism presents a strategic opportunity for foreign founders in the wellness, tourism, and senior care industries. By understanding the policy's targets and key tasks, and by engaging with local stakeholders, foreign entrepreneurs can position themselves to contribute to and benefit from this growing sector. As the plan is implemented, staying informed and building local partnerships will be crucial for success.
This summary is based on information published by the relevant Chinese government website and is general information, not legal or tax advice.
Foreign founders can contact ChinaMNC on WhatsApp / WeChat at +86 153 1898 8535 for help registering and operating a company in China.