Translation. Region: Russian Federation –
Source: People's Republic of China in Russian – People's Republic of China in Russian –
An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.
Source: People's Republic of China – State Council News
NANJING, Nov. 11 (Xinhua) — By putting on virtual reality goggles, visitors are instantly transported to the underground mausoleum of Emperor Qin Shi Huang, where the silent terracotta army comes to life right before their eyes.
And at a base dedicated to the planet Mars, children, dressed in spacesuits, enter a makeshift Martian capsule, setting off on an exciting “space mission.”
These are not scenes from a science fiction film, but real episodes of “tech tourism” that can be seen in picturesque places in China.
The continued advancement of technologies such as artificial intelligence and virtual reality is creating a variety of new cultural and tourism experiences that are tangible, interactive, and scalable.
From light shows and drone displays to virtual reality and robot interactions, high-tech scenes set up in scenic locations and cultural centers are becoming must-see destinations for tourists looking to "experience the future."
According to an industry report, China's smart tourism market size will exceed 1.4 trillion yuan (about $197.6 billion) by the end of 2025.
Science museums and popular science institutions have also become some of the most popular family tourism destinations. At the Shenzhen Science and Technology Museum (South China), the "Exploring the Universe" exhibition allows children to "wander" through space, while the Qingdao Science and Technology Museum (East China) offers children virtual reality goggles to immerse themselves in the world of "underwater archaeology."
Active scientific tourism destinations are also gaining popularity. The FAST telescope, the world's largest single-band radio telescope with reflectors equivalent to 30 football fields (Guizhou Province, southwest China), offers visitors a unique combination of technology and natural beauty. Furthermore, each rocket launch attracts over 100,000 spectators to the observation deck of the Wenchang Satellite Launch Center (Hainan Province, southern China).
"This summer, I took my son specifically to see a rocket launch. He's crazy about space exploration and even dreams of going into space as a tourist one day," said Wang Xin, a resident of Jiangsu Province (eastern China).
According to online travel platform Ctrip, high-tech and heavy industry tours were the dark horse of this year's National Day weekend, with aerospace and automotive tours accounting for more than 20 percent of search queries.
"The integration of technology and cultural tourism transforms abstract technological concepts into tangible cultural symbols, allowing visitors to broaden their horizons and experience exquisite pleasure," said Li Guangchun, a researcher at the Institute of Industrial and Economic Sciences at Yangzhou University in Nanjing, Jiangsu Province, East China.
"Modern tourists increasingly seek high emotional values and consumer experiences. Highly interactive technology platforms are becoming a new important direction in tourism development, and many projects perfectly match the preferences of Zoomers for social interactions and their growing desire for immersive cultural experiences," said Wu Guoping, head of the Wuxi Tourism Industry Association (Jiangsu Province).
For young people, "tech tourism" serves as a bridge between knowledge and interests. "The interactive events held by many science museums make complex technologies accessible and tangible, which is particularly effective in igniting adolescents' passion for science," noted Guo Zhe, curator of the China Science and Technology Museum.
"Travel used to be about quick sightseeing. Now, tourists' needs are taken more seriously, and travel has shifted from passive acceptance to active participation," notes Li Ranran, a tourist from Nanjing.
Experts noted that "tech tourism" is evolving from niche exploration to mass consumption, becoming a key driver of cultural tourism market activation and increased consumption. Taking industrial tourism as an example, it accounts for 10 to 15 percent of total tourism revenue globally, while in China this figure currently stands at less than 5 percent, indicating enormous growth potential.
“When technology ceases to be a mere auxiliary tool and becomes the main driver of change in cultural tourism, a new blue ocean of innovation will undoubtedly emerge for the industry beyond the traditional landscape of mountains and rivers,” Li Ranran added. -0-
Please note: This information is raw content obtained directly from the source. It represents an accurate account of the source's assertions and does not necessarily reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.