WENCHANG, CHINA – Media OutReach Newswire – February 9, 2024 – January 17th In 2024, the Long March-7 Y8, carrying the Tianzhou-7 cargo spacecraft, was successfully launched. A growing number of “space fans” are coming to Wenchang in Hainan province, the site of China’s youngest spaceport, to see the rockets, and the city’s space tourism is becoming increasingly popular. The 2,100-year-old city in the northeastern part of Hainan Island is becoming “China’s version of Cape Canaveral.”
Tourists watch a rocket launch at Qishui Bay in Longlou Town, Wenchang.
In recent years, Wenchang has actively explored the “aerospace +” model to develop tourism. Facilities such as beachfront bed and breakfasts and local farms have been built in response to this trend, and an aerospace tourism city is taking shape. When rocket launches and tropical island scenery combine perfectly, the ancient hometown of overseas Chinese has undergone tremendous changes, transforming into a well-known destination of coastal aerospace tourism in China.
Wenchang attracted many young photographers to “chase rockets” during each launch. In their opinion, this is the closest thing to space for ordinary people. “No matter how many times I watch a rocket launch, I am always deeply moved to tears,” said Tang Muzhi, a space photographer and second-year student at Northwest Minzu University. He added that he hoped his photos would attract more people’s attention and love for space.
Zhang Zuoxing, also a photography enthusiast, wanted to share this breathtaking experience with more people and created “Walking at 20”, a youth travel organization, after graduating from college in 2020 with his friends. They aim to provide immersive travel and social opportunities for young people. The “Wenchang Rocket Chasing Tour” has become the company’s best product. Watching rockets in the gentle sea breeze has become a must-have experience for many tourists in Wenchang.
According to Ye Sheng, head of Longlou Town, Wencheng, which has a population of only 27,000, it turns out that this town has welcomed more than 1.5 million tourists in the past two years thanks to the aerospace industry. . More than 9,000 jobs were created and the aerospace tourism industry saw an increase in annual revenue of 15 percent. The local population has greatly benefited from the fact that more and more cultural and tourist activities on the theme of aerospace are organized there. Their door to the outside world was truly opened, bringing new knowledge and understanding.
“During holidays and major launches, we are always fully booked.” said You Zhuo, who runs Wenchang Ruoyuan Yuanshe B&B. Take the launch of the “Wentian” laboratory cabin module in July 2022 as an example. This event alone attracted more than 200,000 tourists to Longlou City, creating a boom in demand for hotels, guest rooms. hosts, restaurants and other related services. Some hotels even achieved record revenues of more than 1 million yuan in a single day.
B&Bs along the coast of Qishui Bay, Longlou Town, Wenchang, where people can watch a rocket launch from their accommodation balcony or on the beach. Photo credit: Guo Cheng, Xinhua News Agency
Thanks to the aerospace industry, a very unique tourism sector has flourished, supporting local businesses of bed and breakfasts, farm stays, recreational fishing, tourism industries, scientific tours and other tourist offers. At the same time, aerospace communities, aerospace schools, aerospace markets and other supporting facilities have also been gradually improved.
The rocket launches not only brought “tourism craze” to Wenchang and improved the living standards of local residents, but also led to the transformation of the city’s industrial system.
As China’s only commercial launch site, the Hainan Commercial Launch Site is the main infrastructure project of Wenchang International Aerospace City, which can be launched regularly in 2024. So far, the platforms public for aerospace science and innovation, such as satellite assembly and The test factory, rocket assembly factory and aerospace computing center have been completed and gradually put into operation.
Liu Chong, Mayor of Wenchang, said that Wenchang will gradually form its industrial advantage based on commercial aerospace industry, accelerate the construction of the “three chains” industrial system (rocket chain, satellite chain and data chain) and “aerospace”. +”, while continuing to drive the transformation and upgrading of traditional beneficial industries such as Wenchang chicken, coconut and fishing.
It is foreseeable that the “aerospace craze” based on the “aerospace effect” will attract more industries to gather and develop in Wenchang, and China’s commercial aerospace industry will usher in a new chapter bright in the future.
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