Growth of immersive cultural tourism in China

China is seeing a rise in immersive cultural tourism as travelers increasingly seek emotional and cultural value over traditional sightseeing. To meet this demand, state-backed enterprises and historic cities are revitalizing heritage through imitation attractions and period-accurate recreations.

One significant development involves the creation of “fanggu” – imitation historic attractions. For example, a $600 million investment was used to develop Gubei Water Town near the Great Wall, which mimics a classic Jiangnan water village. These sites often offer services such as renting traditional Hanfu costumes and professional photography to enhance the visitor experience.

This trend is reflected in cities like Luoyang, which utilizes traditional architecture and lanterns to recreate ancient atmospheres, and Shanghai, where travelers report spontaneous cultural connections. While these attractions initially catered to domestic travelers during a stagnant economy, they have also attracted foreign tourists driven by social media movements.