Shenzhen emerges as a hub for growing tech tourism among global investors

A growing trend of “tech tourism” is seeing international investors, managers, and entrepreneurs travel to China to observe its rapid technological advancements firsthand. These curated tours, often focusing on innovation hubs like Shenzhen, allow visitors to inspect humanoid robots, high-level artificial intelligence, and massive electric vehicle production lines.

Participants pay significant sums, sometimes up to $15,000 for a five-day program, to gain direct insight into supply chains, production cycles, and the state-driven approach to technology investment. Robert Wu, head of the Shanghai-based data analysis firm Baiguan, notes that China is increasingly viewed as a “study and learning object,” a trend that was minimal only a few years ago.

While some visitors arrive with misconceptions—such as overestimating the current deployment of robotaxis due to domestic political caution regarding job losses—the tours serve as a critical way for Western and Southeast Asian decision-makers to evaluate China as both a market and a technological benchmark. Notable attendees reportedly include representatives from US investment firms such as Thrive Capital and Capital Group.