A new self-service gold trading machine has recently appeared in a shopping mall in Suzhou City of east China's economically developed Jiangsu Province, offering an innovative and efficient way for people to recycle or purchase gold as the safe-haven metal's lure grows.
The ATM machine with a bright golden hue features two functions: "intelligent gold recycling" and "self-service gold purchasing".
After a gold nugget is placed onto a tray, the machine will immediately begin to assess its weight and purity. For instance, a 6.26-gram nugget was valued at 4,830.97 yuan (about 662.81 U.S. dollars) after deducting a service fee.
"We base our recycling price on the real-time gold prices from the Shanghai Gold Exchange. Right now, the recycling price is 789.55 yuan (about 108.33 U.S. dollars) per gram. During the entire recycling process, a service fee of 18 yuan (about 2.47 U.S. dollars) per gram will be charged," said Chen Jia, manager of the gold store which has adopted the machine.
After the initial assessment, customers will have the option to either proceed with the sale or retrieve their gold if they change their mind.
For those opting to sell, they simply enter their bank accounts and proceed to the next step. The machine then melts the gold through high-heat processes, followed by cooling, before completing the transaction. Within around 30 minutes, the amount of money from the transaction will be transferred to the customer's account.
Many residents in Suzhou are intrigued by this new golden ATM and are eager to try it.
"Isn't everything intelligent now? You don't have to worry about being cheated in weight. In terms of the service fee, other gold stores also charge it," said a local resident.
Gold prices have been on a steady upward trajectory, boosted by global instability, inflation concerns and robust central bank buying, rewarding those who were early investors in the precious metal.
ATM machine for gold recycling, purchase unveiled in east China's Suzhou
Ice and snow activities have attracted more visitors across China during the three-day New Year holiday that began on Thursday, with destinations upgrading services and introducing new experiences to boost winter tourism and consumption.
At the Jizhou International Ski Resort in north China's Tianjin, visitor numbers have surged during the holiday. To accommodate demand, the resort has opened 11 ski runs, added new snow-making equipment, upgraded more than 5,000 sets of ski gear, and deployed over 200 professional instructors.
To meet visitors' needs, the resort also has offered two free public classes each day to help beginners master basic skills and safety knowledge. Shuttle bus services have been expanded between nearby hotels and the resort, providing seamless transportation for guests.
"There are shuttle buses from the hotel to the ski resort every 20 minutes, wich I think is a very good service," said Ma Xinping, a tourist.
Hotels in the surrounding area have also benefited from the rising popularity of ice-and-snow tourism.
"Hotel rooms were nearly fully booked during the holiday, and this year's revenue is expected to increase by more than 50 percent compared with previous years," said Zong Qinghe, general manager of the Tianjin Jizhou International Ski Resort.
Meanwhile, Huangshan City in east China's Anhui Province is also tapping into its winter tourism potential by rolling out new ice-and-snow-themed attractions.
At an ice-and-snow entertainment venue in the city's Changyuan Village, snowmaking machines have been operating continuously, creating a winter wonderland where children have been building snowmen, having snowball fights and enjoying snow slides amid laughter and excitement.
"I built a snowman and had a snowball fight here. I'm really happy," said Chen Xiaohan, a tourist.
According to Wang Fei, head of the venue, the whole place is divided into three main zones, including a photo-taking area, a snow-play area and a slide zone. She added that the attraction received nearly 30,000 visits in the first two days of the New Year holiday.
China's ice and snow tourism gains momentum during New Year holiday
