(Photo/Xinhua)

Astronomical tourism has picked up pace thanks to the development of China’s Five-hundred-meter Aperture Spherical Telescope (FAST), the world’s largest telescope, and the first photo of a black hole.

In recent years, the number of visitors searching and booking astronomy-related products at home and abroad has increased by 60%, and popular products include star gazing spots, observatories, and astronomical museums, QianJiang Evening News reported.

Meanwhile, many online travel platforms also introduced a large number of itineraries related to astronomy. The number of such travel products on Ctrip, China’s leading travel services website, has increased 50%, according to a report released by Ctrip.

China’s FAST, an eye for the country to explore the universe, has become a new popular travel destination, which is expected to be in short supply during the summer vacation, with the earliest tour starting in May, said a person with Ctrip.

In addition, teenagers can also experience “space travel” through newly-released travel routes. For example, children over 8 years old and adults can simulate wandering on Earth, the Moon, and Mars as they try to complete 18 interstellar expedition missions within six days at a simulation base in northwest China’s Qinghai province.

Outbound tours are also offered on travel services platforms, such as NASA Space Center and Greenwich Observatory, which offer unique experiences, said a staff member of Tongcheng Travel, another leading travel agency in China.