Destinations featuring mega projects, advanced equipment gain popularity among Chinese tourists

Photo taken by a drone shows the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge. (Xinhua/Liu Dawei)

The Spring Festival travel rush in 2024 from Jan. 26 to March 5 stretches to a total of 40 days. Approximately 9 billion passenger trips are expected to take place during this period, setting a new record for inter-region personnel flow.

With the approaching winter vacation and Spring Festival holiday, many regions across the country are experiencing a significant increase in tourism. Notably, destinations that feature China's mega projects and advanced equipment are gaining popularity among tourists.

On the evening of Jan. 17, the Wenchang Spacecraft Launch Site in south China's Hainan Province witnessed the successful launch of the Long March-7 Y8 carrier rocket carrying the Tianzhou-7 cargo spacecraft.

This momentous event attracted tourists from all over the country, who flocked to Longlou township, where the launch site is located, to witness the spectacle. In Longlou township, spectators have the opportunity to view rocket launches from various locations, such as the beach, rooftops, and even the streets.

In 2016, China's first open coastal spacecraft launch site, the Wenchang Spacecraft Launch Site, was put into operation. Since then, the number of tourists coming here to watch rocket launches has been increasing.

Children pose for a picture at the Wenchang Spacecraft Launch Site in south China's Hainan Province. (Xinhua/Fan Yuqing)

Over the past years, Longlou township has transformed from a small fishing town to a well-known space-themed tourism town. The number of hotels, inns, and B&B hotels in the township has grown from five to over 50, and the number of shops has increased from 230 to over 900. In the past two years, the township has received over 1.5 million tourist visits.

Wenchang has been expanding its efforts in promoting space-related tourism in recent years.

On Dec. 30, 2023, a subsidiary of Hainan International Commercial Aerospace Launch Co., Ltd. launched Hainan's first commercial space-themed tourism route, allowing visitors to explore the province's commercial space launch site.

The official WeChat account of the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge recently announced that since its opening to the public on Dec. 15, 2023, the bridge has seen a significant increase in tourism, recording around 33,000 visits in the first month since its tourism services were put into trial operation.

Tourists pose for a picture on an artificial island east of the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge. (Xinhua/Deng Hua)

Tourism activities in the designated area for visits to the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge are managed through a reservation-based group tour system. The tour includes a car ride to appreciate the bridge and a visit to Blue Dolphin Island, an artificial island. The entire tour of the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge lasts around 140 minutes.

"This journey is truly unforgettable. Visiting the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge as my first stop after retirement holds great significance," said You, a tourist from Beijing with a background in road and bridge construction.

"I have explored nearly every corner of the country, yet the stories of the builders of the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge have profoundly moved me. I will encourage my children to visit and witness it as well," You said.

Reports said the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge welcomes around 1,100 tourist visits daily. The bridge is open for tourism to mainland residents with valid ID cards and Hong Kong and Macao residents who enter the Chinese mainland with valid travel permits.

Photo taken by a drone shows China's Five-hundred-meter Aperture Spherical Radio Telescope (FAST) during maintenance. (Xinhua/Ou Dongqu)

Situated in Kedu township, Pingtang county, Qiannan Buyi and Miao Autonomous Prefecture, southwest China's Guizhou Province, China's Five-hundred-meter Aperture Spherical Radio Telescope (FAST), or the "China Sky Eye," has transformed Kedu township into an astronomy-themed town, attracting astronomy enthusiasts and tourists nationwide.

A science popularization base here is a national 4A-level scenic area, which features an astronomy experience hall, an observatory, a cinema, and a memorial hall dedicated to the late chief scientist of the FAST project, Nan Rendong.

On Dec. 13, 2023, the FAST project was put on the list of the first batch of provincial-level tourism science and technology demonstration parks in Guizhou Province.

The FAST project is involved in various travel routes recently introduced by Guizhou to enhance the travel experience during the winter season.