tourism

Living the Loop: The NPCs Bringing China’s Fantasy Parks to Life

Articles that cut to the core of contemporary China. In-depth, informed, and carefully crafted, every piece is carried by the voices of the story’s participants.

FEATURES

In China’s booming immersive tourism industry, “non-playable characters” are thousands of young performers in costume, working marathon shifts of duels and dances to keep tourists entertained.

Jiang Xinyi

Fever Pitch: More Provinces Roll Out Soccer Leagues to Boost Tourism

Timely reports on issues and events from across China. Drawing on a vast range of sources, these succinct articles provide insights into the significance of each issue in a wider context.

NEWS

In the wake of Jiangsu province’s ultra-popular “Suchao” Jiangsu Super League, provinces across China are launching their own soccer tournaments.

He Qitong

China’s Mushroom Foraging Craze Is Wrecking Its Forests

A boom in organized mushroom foraging tours is threatening the biodiversity in some of China’s most nature-rich environments.

Li Xin

Yang  Xinrui 

Chongqing Hotel Under Fire for Using Red Pandas in Wake-Up Calls

Prior to the controversy, rooms for the hotel were fully booked, raising questions about the welfare of China’s endangered animals and their use as entertainment.

2025 Shanghai Int’l Film Fest Sees Record Premieres and Bigger Crowds

The festival, now in its 27th year, features 400 movies as well as numerous promotions geared toward attracting out-of-town crowds and boosting tourism spending.

Sixth Tone

In Jiangsu, an Amateur Football League Scores Big With Tourists

Over the Dragon Boat Festival holiday, an amateur football league in eastern China drew crowds that rivaled top-tier matches, and gave local tourism an unexpected boost.

Despite Rain, Dragon Boat Festival Drives Travel Across China

Millions joined holiday races and cultural events, as tourism platforms tracked rising demand for heritage experiences and short-haul getaways.

Fan Yiying

Fun Factory: Why China’s Tourists Are Queuing Up at Assembly Lines

From car plants to breweries and even robot labs, companies are looking to capitalize on the growing interest in industrial tourism.

Fu Xiaoqing

Leisurely Learning: Bars and Hotels Become New Classrooms

University guesthouses and “academic bars” are attracting young Chinese urbanites seeking knowledge and deeper cultural experiences.

Flower Power: Spring Spurs Tomb-sweeping Day Travel Boom 

Seasonal getaways see a surge as more Chinese opt for nature, culture, and short-distance trips.

After Five Years, Chinese Travel Agencies Eye a Return to North Korea

The country briefly reopened to non-Russian tourists for the first time in five years in February, only to suspend entry again in March.

Chen Yiru

In China, Tourists Can Take a Hike — Or Let a Robot Do the Work

Robotic exoskeletons are being tested at China’s top tourist sites, offering visitors AI-powered assistance to tackle steep trails and staircases.

Spring Festival: UNESCO Listing Sparks Surge in Cultural Travel

Interest in traditional performances and experiences surged across China, with both domestic and international travel seeing significant growth.

Neon Genesis: How a ‘Scrolling’ Wall Made a Border City Go Viral

A neon-stacked building in Yanji, a Chinese city on the North Korean border, brings internet culture to life, drawing waves of tourists eager to see the spectacle in person.

Wen Ming

This Spring Festival, Travelers Are Swiping Right — On Each Other’s Homes

With travel costs soaring, house swapping is emerging as an affordable, offbeat alternative — offering a home for the holidays, no booking fees required.

Zhou Hanchi

Now or Naver: The Korean Apps Packing Shanghai’s Restaurants

China’s visa-free policy opened the doors. Naver and Instagram showed them where to go. Now, South Korean tourists are flocking to a handful of Shanghai restaurants, and businesses are scrambling to keep up.

The Many Colors of RedNote

Contributions from individuals with unique perspectives to share. Hear from everyone, from experts and commentators to those whose voices are often marginalized.

VOICES & OPINION

What makes a destination go viral on the app? The answer may lie in picking the right color scheme.

Guo Jia

Chinese Actor’s Trafficking Ordeal Leaves Thai Tourism Reeling

The actor’s rescue from a trafficking ring has revived fears of cross-border scams, prompting Chinese tourists to cancel trips en masse.

Harbin Firm Under Fire for Banning Employees From Ice Festival

A local company’s attempt at hospitality snowballed into a public relations disaster over the weekend.

Li Miaoran

The World According to Xiaohongshu

How China’s most popular lifestyle app leads — and misleads — young tourists.