"Technological Pilgrimage Sites" Attract Foreign Tourists in China

The Great Wall of China and giant pandas are no longer the sole attractions drawing foreign tourists to China. In the first half of this year, China welcomed 22.9 million foreign tourists, a year-on-year increase of 20.4%, as more visitors seek to discover another side of the country, ranging from smart production lines and robot demonstrations to space rocket launch sites.

Despite this, technology and industry are gradually becoming new stops on the country’s tourism map. An increasing number of foreign tourists are choosing factory tours to get a closer look at China. Similar scenes are repeated in countless workshops spread across the Yangtze River Delta, the Pearl River Delta, and inland and coastal regions.

New energy vehicle (NEV) factories have also become prominent stops on the technological tourism itineraries of many foreign visitors. Scenes of human-machine collaboration on production lines, along with a new car rolling off the assembly line every 76 seconds, have amazed and impressed tourists. Since one NEV manufacturer opened its facility to public tours in March 2024, it has welcomed more than 250,000 visitors, becoming a standout destination for tech tourism enthusiasts.

A British tourist returned to Ningbo City in Zhejiang Province, eastern China, after more than two decades. Instead of visiting traditional tourist destinations, he toured kitchen appliance production lines, smart plug manufacturing plants, NEV production workshops, and a company specializing in electronic chip testing. Sharing his impressions on social media, he said, “A kitchen range hood or dishwasher comes off the assembly line every 25 seconds. Six car models are manufactured on a single production line.” He added, “Twenty years ago, ‘Made in China’ symbolized low prices, but after these visits, I believe this label now carries a different meaning.”

Watching smart robot demonstrations has also become one of the most significant moments for many foreign tourists. Humanoid robots not only play musical instruments and table tennis but can also simulate traffic monitoring tasks and even engage in “freestyle boxing” matches.

Since last June, Hainan Space City has entered a period of frequent rocket launches, leading to a steady rise in the number of foreign tourists coming to China specifically to witness these launches. Thanks to regular launch schedules and stunning on-site views, an increasing number of space enthusiasts worldwide now rank Wenchang as one of the top destinations for following rocket launches.

China’s technological tourism also extends to old industrial sites that have lost their original functions but remain vibrant. In the capital, Beijing, the Shougang Park brings together three layers of memory and narrative: a century-long steel industry heritage, Winter Olympics legacy, and the revitalization of industrial culture. The park has become a dynamic gateway allowing foreign tourists to understand China’s industrial transformation journey.