This year's bumper eight-day holiday – merging the Chinese mainland's National Day and Mid-Autumn Festival – ignited a record travel boom. From historic cities to mountain retreats, holidaymakers wielded smartphones as cultural compasses and tech as tour guides.
Augmented reality (AR) temple tours let visitors interact with ancient legends, while virtual reality (VR) exhibitions brought heritage sites to life in 360°. At Xi’an's ancient walls, digital lantern displays synced with smartphone controls created crowds of glowing mosaics. In Shanghai, art-tech studios opened pop-up installations where AI-driven light shows reacted to visitor movements.
Behind the scenes, data-powered travel apps curated personalized itineraries based on real-time crowd maps and festival schedules. Chatbot concierges answered questions in multiple languages, guiding travelers to hidden teahouses or local performances. Smart payments and e-tickets meant zero queues and instant check-ins at museums and high-speed rail stations.
For young global citizens and digital nomads, these innovations mean more than convenience. They represent a new way to connect with culture – transforming passive sightseeing into interactive storytelling. As technology and art merge, the future of travel promises even deeper immersion and endless surprises.
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Tech brings smiles and surprises to China's National Day holidaymakers
cgtn.com
