Technological innovations give better experiences to travelers

Tourist attractions across China have introduced scientific and technological innovations, providing creative and immersive experiences for travelers.

China Grand Canal Museum in Yangzhou city of east China's Jiangsu Province has launched many new experiencing programs empowered by advanced technologies. This has not only transformed a tour in the museum into an interesting, interactive yet knowledgeable experience, but also brought the stories of the Grand Canal, a vast waterway connecting the northern and southern parts of China built more than 2,500 years ago, back to life.

One exhibition hall featuring the boats and ships traveling on the canal, for example, is equipped with an AI-empowered machine, which allows tourists to see the interior structure of ancient ships. Visitors can also board a replicated ancient ship, which takes them on a virtual tour along the canal, seeing the hustle and bustle.

Museums and exhibitions, which can be esoteric, have been brought closer to people by digital technology. And, consequently, history and culture can be brought closer to people and shine with greater vitality, according to Zeng Bowei, a professor at Tourism College of Beijing Union University.

Technologies have been applied to performances to enhance sensory experiences.

Photo shows Only Henan Drama Fantasy City in Zhengzhou city, capital of central China's Henan Province. (Xinhua/Wu Gang)

"My goal of this trip to Zhengzhou is to visit Only Henan Drama Fantasy City," said Shen Mengyan, who was born after 1995. Only Henan Drama Fantasy City consists of 56 completely different grids, 21 theaters and courtyards of different styles. The audiences can walk through the grids and enjoy different shows. LED lighting technology used in the show makes the audience feel like traveling back and forth among different time periods and spaces.

A light show at Huanghelou, or the Yellow Crane Tower, a landmark in Wuhan of central China's Hubei Province, vividly reproduces the legends about the tower in history through a combination of animation, music, laser and performance.

Similarly, in the scenic area of Nianhua Bay in Wuxi city of east China's Jiangsu Province, a performance using kinetic sculpture, unmanned aerial vehicles and Augmented Reality, integrates the performers, music and the surrounding mountains and rivers, and can better showcase the unique beauty of local gardens.

Data shows nationwide attendance at tourism performances rose 184 percent from February to April this year compared to the same period last year, indicating that tourism performances have become a key engine driving cultural tourism consumption.

Photo shows a tourist posing for photos in a Tang-style theme block called "The Longest Day in Chang'an" in Xi'an, capital of northwest China's Shaanxi Province. (Xinhua/Shao Rui)

In addition, many cities have restored old architecture for the purpose of developing tourism. Known for a long history and rich culture of the Tang Dynasty (618-907), Xi'an, capital of northwest China's Shaanxi Province, has offered a Tang-style theme block called "The Longest Day in Chang'an" in a bustling tourist area. Tourists can have an immersive experience here, including shopping, dining, participating in recreational activities and interacting with the performers. A digital payment system featuring one kind of currency of the Tang Dynasty was particularly designed, allowing visitors to paying on their phones while enjoying the vibe.

The once polluted Liangma River in Beijing went through a series of renovations related to revetment, water body, and lighting. Later some light shows were added and sightseeing routes were opened, letting the tourists and citizens enjoy the charm and excitement of the river at night.

Fu Hanxiao, an official of China's Ministry of Culture and Tourism, said that digitalization has become a major direction and powerful engine for the development of the culture and tourism industry, and has expanded the development space of the industry. It is necessary to embrace new technologies, develop new scenarios, open up new possibilities and forge new strengths, to continuously promote the high-quality development of the sector.