The Chinese mainland's tourism industry is getting a high-tech makeover. During the recent May Day holiday – one of the busiest travel periods – many attractions rolled out features from virtual reality tours to drones painting patterns in the sky and monitoring crowd density, creating fresh, immersive visits.
In Gaolan County's Shichuan Ancient Pear Orchard, nestled in Gansu Province in the Chinese mainland's northwest, Hangzhou-based Unitree Robotics deployed agile robots to lead guests through blooming pear trees. With dynamic obstacle avoidance and terrain-climbing skills, these robo-guides navigated the orchard like seasoned explorers.
Unitree first caught the public eye when its humanoid robots dazzled audiences during the Chinese mainland's 2025 'Spring Festival Gala' TV show. Back in Gaolan, the tech also reached the county's agriculture museum, where robots demonstrated traditional farming tools – sparking a dialogue between ancient practices and modern innovation.
Visitors were impressed by the robots' lifelike interactions. 'I didn't expect to make friends with high-tech in the ancient pear orchard,' said visitor Zhang after shaking hands with a robot that seemed to listen and respond like a real person.
These high-tech attractions showcase how AI and robotics are reshaping travel, blending culture and cutting-edge innovation for a next-gen tourism experience.
Reference(s):
cgtn.com
