According to the document No. 98 issued by the Central Compilation and Administration Commission, the China Tourism Research Institute was officially established in Beijing on June 6, 2008. In December 2015, with the approval of the Central Compilation and Translation Office, the "National Tourism Administration Data Center" was added. In January 2017, it was listed as a central level scientific research institution by the Ministry of Science and Technology. In September 2018, according to the document issued by the Ministry of Culture and Tourism (Ban Ren Fa [2018] No. 80), the data center of the former National Tourism Administration was renamed as the data center of the Ministry of Culture and Tourism.

As a professional research institution directly under the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, the China Tourism Research Institute (Data Center of the Ministry of Culture and Tourism) aims to be a government think tank, industry think tank, and theoretical highland for promoting the integrated development and international exchange of Chinese culture and tourism. Its main responsibilities include tourism policy and theoretical research, research on the integrated development of culture and tourism, as well as statistical and data analysis of culture and tourism. In August 2013, it was approved to establish a postdoctoral research workstation. In 2014, the Tourism Economy Laboratory was recognized as the first key laboratory in the tourism industry. Since its establishment in 2008, the institute has continuously published the Blue Book of China's Tourism Economy, as well as 9 annual development reports on inbound tourism, outbound tourism, domestic tourism, national leisure, tourism groups, tourism accommodation industry, tourist attractions, and travel services. Publish academic journals such as China Tourism Review and China Tourism Big Data. Has won academic honors such as the Ulysses Government Innovation Award, Technology Innovation Award, and National Invention Patent from the United Nations World Tourism Organization.

There are currently three administrative departments, namely the Administration and Personnel Department, the International Exchange and Finance Department, and the Research Management Department, as well as seven research departments, including the Strategic Research Institute, the Policy and Science Research Institute, the Industry Research Institute, the Planning and Leisure Research Institute, the International Research Institute (Hong Kong, Macao, and Taiwan Research Institute), the Statistical Survey Institute, and the Data Analysis Institute. The China Tourism Research Institute (Data Center of the Ministry of Culture and Tourism) has established 48 bases, data cooperation websites, and observation stations based on higher education institutions, research institutes, bases, local tourism management departments, and enterprises and institutions. The research institute has hired renowned domestic and foreign experts and scholars as academic advisors and committee members.