Visitors explore the seed bank at a vegetable seed innovation center in Chengdu, Sichuan Province, on March 13 (XINHUA)

Previously, factory floors were usually off-limits to outsiders. Now, they're becoming some of China's most sought-after tourist destinations. Nowhere is this more evident than at consumer electronics and smart manufacturing company Xiaomi's automobile factory in Beijing, where getting a spot on a tour is not much easier than scoring front-row concert tickets. 

Since opening to the public late last year, Xiaomi's factory tour has been popular. In January, 8,000 people applied for just 60 tour spots—leading to a success rate of less than 1 percent. Even after expanding tour availability, demand is still off the charts. Some fans are flying in from across China just to see the future of car manufacturing in action. 

The tour of Xiaomi's automobile factory gives visitors a chance to see the most advanced production lines in the world, where 700 industrial robots assemble a Xiaomi SU7 electric vehicle every 76 seconds.

Moreover, visitors also get exclusive perks—a chance to test-drive the latest Xiaomi cars, dine in the employee cafeteria, enjoy complimentary snacks and drinks, and shop for Xiaomi's cultural and creative merchandise. These experiences make the tour an exceptional and cost-effective travel experience, particularly appealing for families on one-day outings.

Xiaomi's factory tour is a weathervane of a larger trend: the rise of manufacturing tourism. More and more companies embrace this shift by opening their production lines, and visitors are fascinated with these new destinations.

Diverse experiences

In Anhui Province, tourists can watch cutting-edge beverage production lines in operation at beverage brand Genki Forest's factory, see how its sugar-free sparkling water is made, playfully grab limited-edition drinks from a vending machine claw game and even mix and match flavors to create their own personalized sparkling water at a DIY station.

For dairy enthusiasts, Junlebao Dairy Group, headquartered in Shijiazhuang, Hebei Province, offers a glimpse into modern milk production. Visitors can tour its state-of-the-art dairy farm that integrates pasture farming, cattle breeding, scientific research, and milk production into a comprehensive tourism experience.

In the sportswear industry, Anta's factory in Jiangxi Province features a brand museum, a smart sports lab, and interactive experiences where visitors can witness sneaker production and test high-tech sports equipment, from smart running machines to AI-powered basketball shooting machines. 

At Beijing's nostalgic Beibingyang-Yili Industrial Park, visitors can stroll through the time-honored food brand Yili's modern factories, see recreated scenes of the production of China's first-ever chocolate bars and malt candy, and watch how the iconic soda brand Beibingyang's orange soda is bottled and even taste limited-edition flavors unavailable in stores.

Visitors are drawn to factory tourism for a variety of reasons. Some people visit factories out of nostalgia for industrial heritage, some are driven by a desire for hands-on experiences, guided by industry experts, and some find factory visits a form of stress relief.

For photography enthusiasts, factories offer settings for striking, unfiltered portraits. The minimalist, functional architecture provides a natural backdrop that makes every snapshot look effortlessly cool and cinematic. Meanwhile, families see factory visits as a learning opportunity—a classroom where children can witness milk being processed, books being bound, or intricate assembly lines at work. 

"Factory tourism is not a new concept," Han Yuanjun, a research fellow at the China Tourism Academy, told Beijing Review. Industrial tourism existed decades ago, such as that offered by automobile hubs in Germany or legacy brands like Tsingtao Beer in China.

"However, today's factory tourism boom is different," he added.

Han attributes the renewed popularity to China's rapid technological advancements and evolving consumer trends. "Factories are no longer just remnants of industrial history; they are dynamic, high-tech environments that appeal to a new generation of tourists. With China's rise in global manufacturing, industrial tourism is now a window into the country's innovation and progress," he explained.

A bigger picture

While factory tours offer educational and immersive experiences to visitors, they also benefit businesses.

For businesses, opening factory tours is a strategic move with far-reaching benefits, Han said, adding that companies weigh multiple factors before opening their production sites to the public. While some factories charge admission fees as a supplementary income source, the primary motivation often lies in brand storytelling, cultural outreach and consumer trust-building. 

By offering an insider's look at production, companies enhance their transparency, turning visitors into brand advocates who share their experiences, boosting both credibility and reputation, he said.

For instance, Xiaomi's automobile factory tours may seem like an invitation for consumers to simply observe production, and it also turns them into unpaid brand ambassadors. Through word-of-mouth recommendations, these visitors contribute to brand exposure and sales growth in ways that may not be immediately visible.

U.S. carmaker Tesla has also tapped into the potential of industrial tourism. In November last year, Tesla announced that customers who purchased a new car through its official trade-in program would be eligible for an exclusive tour of the Shanghai Gigafactory, with airfare and one-night hotel accommodation covered for lucky participants.

The timing was strategic—Tesla had experienced a decline in its sales in the Chinese market last October. Following the launch of the factory tour initiative, its sales rebounded by 12.8 percent last December, setting a new monthly record.

Industrial tourism not only benefits businesses and the tourism industry, but also the local economy, Han said. Industrial tourism stimulates related industries, creates jobs and boosts economic growth, he added.

Industrial tourism is a rapidly growing sector with long-term potential. According to a report on industrial tourism from 2023 to 2028 released by market research company Zero Power Intelligence Group, China's industrial tourism market remains underdeveloped compared to global benchmarks. While factory tourism contributes 10-15 percent of total tourism revenue worldwide, China's share is still below 5 percent, highlighting huge growth potential. Forecasts also predict that by 2033, the country's industrial tourism sector will exceed 18.7 billion yuan ($2.57 billion), with a compound annual growth rate of 27.4 percent.

As Han noted, the factory tourism trend injects new vitality into industries, introduces a new engine for economic growth, and serves as an alternative channel for cultural promotion, and a fresh way to engage consumers. BR

(Print Edition: Workshops of Wonder) 

Copyedited by G.P. Wilson

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