The rise of industrial tourism in China

In May this year, a joint document issued by seven departments called for expanding the supply of industrial tourism products, promoting factory tours, and turning more manufacturing facilities into tourist destinations. | Photo Credit: REUTERS China’s factory floors have turned out to be sought after destinations during summer vacation this year. There has been a visible rise in tours to hi-tech manufacturing facilities like electric vehicles, electronics, and high-speed trains, with shipyards and breweries also in the mix. According to a popular Chinese online travel booking platform, Tongcheng, bookings for factory tours rose more than 36 per cent year-on-year during this summer season, with families accounting for 68 per cent of bookings.These factory-technology tours are part of the growing phenomenon of industrial tourism (gongye luyou) – a policy initiative actively promoted by the ruling Communist Party-state. Rather than make these tours from a sightseeing perspective, The state seeks to make them niche tourism an instrument for showcasing industrial capability, strengthening industrial brands, and educating young people about technology. According to Beijing city’s municipal bureau, in 2024, the city had 15 million industrial tourists and generated 1.7 billion yuan ($248 million) in revenue. Published - September 16, 2026 07:30 am IST