Tech tourism gains popularity among international travelers in China

Technology-focused tourism is emerging as a new driver of international tourism in China, injecting new momentum into the country's summer travel boom.

In Beijing, a popular robotics exhibition gives visitors an up-close look at cutting-edge technologies and how they are increasingly being integrated into everyday life.

"I find it very fun. I think it's an amazing thing that China has developed such incredible technology. We in Mexico don't have this many robots, so I think it changed my perspective on how technology can probably change the world in the future," said Juan Pablo, a teenage boy from Mexico.

"The advance of humanity in robotics and robots -- it's incredible and super futuristic," said Ana Paula, a teenage girl from Mexico.

Some visitors are stepping inside production facilities to see first-hand how technology is reshaping modern manufacturing.

At Xiaomi's electric vehicle factory in Beijing E-Town, visitors can watch hundreds of robots carry out precision tasks along the production line.

"They can see a lot of interesting things that maybe they wouldn't be able to see back home in terms of the sophistication and probably more than anything, just the scale. I think the scale and the level of advancement would be pretty staggering," said Kyle Mullin, a Canadian living in Beijing.

"People want to understand more and more how things are made, and that allows us to get a better grasp of how the world we live in now is evolving," said Hugo Quitton, a French tourist.

The summer's travel surge was initially driven by China's expanded visa-free policies, advanced transportation network, and profound culture. Yet, word has spread quickly about opportunities to witness world-leading technologies up close.

As the inbound tourism trend evolves, travel agencies and tourism destinations in China are now offering customized tech tourism services.

"As 'China Travel' heats up during the summer holiday, we have seen increasing bookings on our online platform from individual travelers, international organizations, and international study tour groups," said Zhang Kejing, head of government affairs and public relations of the Beijing E-Town Robotics Technology Industry Development Corporation.

Tech tourism gains popularity among international travelers in China

Melting permafrost, increasing geographical disasters, and water shortage triggered by rising global temperatures are affecting the operation of Alpine huts, one of Switzerland's most cherished institutions, according to Schweizer Alpen-Club (SAC).

Alpine huts are central to Switzerland's mountain culture and tourism economy. They provide essential shelter, unique hospitality, and historical preservation across the Swiss Alps.

Originally built in late 19th and early 20th centuries as shelters for scientists and explorers, Swiss Alpine huts are now havens for hikers.

Most Alpine huts sit on permanently frozen ground, which acts like natural concrete stratum to keep mountain terrain stable.

As global temperature keeps rising, melting permafrost is loosening the foundation of roughly 40 percent of mountain huts, according to SAC.

Currently, about half of the Swiss mountain huts still offer spectacular views of snow-capped mountains and glaciers, but scientists predict that most of these glaciers will disappear by the end of this century.

"We can see from our mountain hut that every year, the glaciers in front of us keep melting and are becoming smaller and smaller," said a hut runner.

SAC said mountain regions bear the serious impacts of climate change.

"It's the hut that has also been shut down. You see, this is built on permafrost. You see, here, the cracks and you try to have it together stable with steel, but it didn't work anymore. Mountain regions experience climate change much stronger than global average. You see here, we have had, in the last 60 years, maybe roughly one degree on the global average rising temperatures. But in Switzerland and in the Alps, it's the double," said Philippe Wager, head of huts and environment at SAC.

High-altitude mountain huts are also facing water crisis as they rely primarily on winter snowpack and summer glacial meltwater as the major water source.

Melting glaciers and warmer winters, which bring less snow every year, jointly contribute to less water supplies.

Meanwhile, increasing geological hazards such as rockfalls, landslides and mudflows are also threatening safety of mountain huts and hikers.

Climate change threatens Swiss Alpine huts