🌏 TourPal Travel Blog & City Story Contributor Program

✨ Introduction

To every individual who loves China and is willing to convey its true essence:

We firmly believe that China's charm lies not just in its 9.6 million square kilometers of vast landscapes or the history hidden within famous landmarks. It is deeply embedded in the daily life of its streets, the ancient customs of ethnic minorities, and the niche, uncommercialized hidden gems. However, we have found that current online travel information about China is predominantly driven by three types of content: standardized commercial product pages, personal UGC notes lacking practical execution details, and highly filtered, fragmented short videos. This content severely fails to meet the needs of international travelers who genuinely seek independent exploration, cultural depth, and non-typical local experiences—making it difficult for them to find a "True Guide" tailored for free and independent travel.

To address this gap, we have created the China Deep Guide section, designed specifically for international independent travelers visiting China. Here, you will find no exaggerated, filtered presentations—only actionable route planning, clear timelines, precise geolocation (map/geographical) markers, and authentic imagery that restores the destination's true appearance.

We sincerely invite you to join us as a "True Storyteller of China." We ask you to structurally share your genuine insights, rigorous research, and executable travel wisdom with independent travelers globally. Our pursuit is not superficial check-ins, but a reliable, soulful, and deeply informed guide.

🖋️ What We’re Looking For

Whether you are a local cultural guardian or an international resident deeply immersed in China, we warmly welcome you—provided you are committed to conveying a genuine and soulful travel experience.

Category 1 (Priority Recruitment): Local Cultural Custodians (Experts)

• Identity Requirements: Long-term residents in the destination who are deeply involved in local culture (e.g., Intangible Cultural Heritage inheritors, ethnic minority researchers, experienced local guides, ancient town residents). Basic cross-cultural communication awareness is essential; experience serving foreign tourists is a plus.
• Content Focus: Authoring or reviewing content on "Cultural Background Interpretation" and "Ethnic Minority Experiences." The content must use logic easily understandable by foreign visitors to dissect cultural context and include "non-tourist perspective" local details (e.g., festival participation tips, etiquette for interacting with locals vs. tourists).

Category 2: Foreign Residents/Seasoned Travelers/Travel Writers in China

• Identity Requirements: Individuals with long-term residency experience in China, three or more in-depth independent travel experiences, or foreign creators focused on the "China Travel" theme. Must be capable of capturing practical difficulties and cultural adaptation nuances from an international traveler's perspective.
• Content Focus: Providing long-form travelogues, experience notes, or video footage, focusing on practical content such as "Post-Visa Landing Preparation," "Hidden Tips for Transportation Connections," and "Dietary Adaptation Suggestions." Content will be optimized by our editors for logical expression while retaining the personal creative style. Must provide 2-3 links to previous original work (e.g., personal blogs, travel columns, short videos).

Category 3 (UGC): Foreign Tourists

• Identity Requirements: Individuals who have traveled independently in China within the past year, are willing to share genuine travel experiences, and reject excessive filters and false descriptions.
• Content Focus: Submitting original travel notes, unedited photos, or short videos, focusing on "Exploring Niche Locations," "Unexpected Experience Sharing," and "Pitfall Avoidance Guides," to provide subsequent travelers with more authentic references.

💰Support and Recognition You Will Receive

We deeply recognize the value of authentic sharing and commit to supporting your efforts with tangible resources:

Substantial Travel Resource Support

• Customized Route Planning: Providing "exclusive niche route design services" for high-quality contributors, with assistance from local experts to uncover unpublished experience scenarios.
• On-Site Support: When invited to participate in destination scouting, we provide subsidies for local accommodation, transportation, or local guide reception services.
• Payment: Selected works receive USD $15–$50, depending on quality and visual presentation.
• Exclusive Experience Slots: Priority access to free slots for Intangible Cultural Heritage experiences, deep ancient town exploration, and participation in ethnic minority festivals in our partnered destinations.

Global Exposure and Honor Certification

• Exclusive Status Tag: Category 1 contributions are marked "Expert Local Review," Category 2 as "Original by Seasoned Resident." All content is credited with your name and personal profile (social media link can be included).
• Overseas Traffic Exposure: High-quality content will be prominently featured on our official website homepage, Instagram features, and YouTube channel, reaching potential travelers worldwide.
• Annual Incentive Program: Selection for the "Annual Quality Sharer" award, including a customized gift box of Intangible Cultural Heritage handicrafts and invitations to participate in exclusive Sino-Foreign Cultural Exchange salons.

Deep Exchange Community Resources

• Joining the "Sino-Foreign Travel & Culture Exchange Community" to directly connect with other contributors, cultural scholars, and experienced guides, gaining the latest destination information and creative inspiration. You will also receive priority invitations for platform collaborations such as documentary filming and travel column writing.

✍🏻 Creative Guidelines: Balancing Direction and Freedom

We respect the uniqueness of every creation. Simultaneously, to ensure the utility of the content for international travelers, we establish the following principles:

Format Priority: Video Documentation is Preferred

We prioritize short videos of 5–30 minutes (e.g., "Street View Live Shots + Spoken Commentary," "Route Execution Demonstration," "Cultural Experience Process Documentation"). Text content (travelogues, guides) can be submitted along with authentic photos.

Core Direction: Focus on "Practicality" and "Authenticity"

We provide a creative framework for reference, but do not restrict personal expression (humor, warmth, and rationality are all welcome):

• Practicality: Not just where to go, but how to go. Including: Local transportation (non-tourist dedicated lines), ticketing (online purchase processes), language barrier coping strategies, local customs, and cultural taboos—a full set of actionable details.
• Culture: Reservation methods for ICH experiences, essential etiquette for ethnic minorities, guides for participating in local festivals (must respect cultural authenticity).
• Experience: Not necessarily popular tourist spots, but also niche hidden gems discovered, food stalls frequented by locals, "unexpectedly found" unique scenes, exclusive/non-typical local experiences, humanistic observation, and the underlying historical/cultural interpretation.
• Structured Presentation: Clear route maps, timelines, geographical presentation (e.g., street view information), and logical relationships between points of interest.

Creative Taboos

• Prohibited: Submission of false information, overly filtered imagery, or culturally stereotypical language.
• Sensitive Content: Content involving religion or ethnic minorities must be verified and approved by local experts before publication.

Submission Commitment

• Strictly prohibit submitting plagiarized, copied, or infringing content. Should any copyright or reputation disputes arise due to the content, the contributor shall bear full responsibility.

© Copyright and Usage Agreement (Non-Table Format)

To safeguard contributor rights and ensure TourPal's China Deep Guide can continuously disseminate deep culture, we adopt the following flexible cooperation model:

• Original Copyright: The Contributor permanently retains the original copyright and the right of attribution (署名权).
• Priority Publishing Right: The Contributor has the right to publish the content first. After the content has been reviewed and edited by TourPal, the Contributor may first publish it on all their personal platforms (e.g., personal blog, YouTube, X/Twitter, personal public accounts, etc.).
• Personal Content Revenue: TourPal Platform will not take a share of any revenue (including but not limited to advertising, tips, affiliate marketing, etc.) generated by the Contributor from publishing the content on their personal platforms.
• TourPal Platform Usage Authorization: The Contributor authorizes TourPal Platform (official website, overseas social media accounts like Instagram/TikTok/YouTube, etc.) to use the content on a permanent, royalty-free, non-exclusive basis for the following:
• Non-commercial display and dissemination (for guide display, promoting project concepts).
• Necessary editing and secondary creation (e.g., excerpting long articles for short social media posts, clipping videos for promotional trailers, creating map annotations, etc.).
• Commercialization Agreement: Should TourPal Platform utilize the content for commercial profit-making purposes (e.g., publishing a print guide, joint promotion with commercial brands, use as paid member content, etc.), the Platform will negotiate with the Contributor in advance and pay additional and reasonable compensation based on the specific form of cooperation.
• Platform Requirement: Submission implies agreement to accept content fact verification and TourPal Platform's editing guidelines.

✅ Submission Requirements

To ensure quality and fairness, please follow these rules carefully:

1. Authenticity & Originality
1. All submissions must be real and original.
2. You must have personally written, photographed, or filmed the content.
3. No plagiarism, rewrites, compilations, or AI-generated content are accepted.
2. Written Articles
1. Minimum 2,000 words in English or Chinese.
2. Must be well-structured, engaging, and include at least one section of reflection or insight.
3. Submit in .docx, .pdf, or Google Docs format.
3. Photos
1. All photos must be original (no stock, AI, or internet-sourced images).
2. Submit at least 6 high-resolution photos (each over 2MB preferred).
3. Include short captions for each photo (location, time, and a short note).
4. If photos include identifiable people, provide their consent for use.
4. Videos
1. Must be original, fully edited works — not mashups or re-edits.
2. Resolution 1080p or higher.
3. Recommended length: 15–180 seconds for short videos.
4. Provide a downloadable link (Google Drive, Dropbox, or WeTransfer).
5. No AI or third-party content
1. We do not accept AI-generated texts, images, or videos.
2. AI-assisted editing (e.g., grammar correction or color grading) is allowed but must be disclosed.
6. Language & Formatting
1. Submissions can be in English or Chinese.
2. Other languages are welcome if an English or Chinese summary (200+ words) is provided.

📬 How to Submit

How to Join Us?

If you are eager to present the authentic China you have witnessed to the world through rigorous documentation, please send the following materials to our designated email: Cyrusxu86@gmail.com

If cooperation is confirmed, we will send an "Acknowledgment Receipt" and contact you regarding specific cooperation details within 7 working days:

1. Self-Introduction/Resume: Focus on your travel/research background, duration of stay in China, or professional field.
2. Links to Past Work: Any links demonstrating your writing ability, photography/videography level, or field research experience.
3. Contributable Regions/Themes: Please specify the regions and thematic directions you are most familiar with and have the deepest experience in.

1. Your payment details (Alipay/ Wechat pay/ bank transfer).
2. Optional: your social media or portfolio links for crediting.

🕒 Review Process & Timeline

• Initial Review (format & originality): 3–7 business days
• Editorial Review (quality & fit): 7–14 business days
• Total: You’ll receive a response within 21 business days of submission.

If your work is accepted, payment will be made within 30 days of publication.

📜 Rights & Permissions

By submitting, you confirm that:

• You are the original creator of all materials submitted.
• You grant TourPal a non-exclusive, global license to publish, edit, and promote your work (with full credit).
• You retain full copyright and can republish your work elsewhere — please include the note:

• If your content includes people, music, or recognizable brands, you must have permission to use them.

⚖️ Privacy & Payment

Your personal data (name, contact, payment info) will be used only for communication, crediting, and payment. Payments will be processed via your chosen method within 30 days after publication.
If an invoice is required, please include your tax details in your email.

🧾 Quick Submission Checklist

Before submitting, make sure that:

• The story is original and based on real experiences
• The article is ≥2000 words
• You have at least 6 original high-resolution photos
• Any videos are 1080p or higher, fully edited
• Each image/video has a caption (place, time, short description)
• You’ve included a rights statement and payment info
• You have consent for any identifiable people in your photos/videos

❤️ A Final Word

Every authentic sharing is an act of building a cross-cultural bridge. Your observations, thoughts, and feelings might allow an international friend to understand China's diversity and warmth, transforming an ordinary trip into a profound cultural experience.

Whether you are a cultural custodian born and raised here, or a foreign traveler who came for the love of the country, we look forward to walking alongside you to create a deep guide that can truly "understand China."

For inquiries, please send an email to the application address above. We will respond within 24 hours.

China TourPal Team