The Emperor Qin Shihuang's Mausoleum Site Museum in Xi'an, Shaanxi Province, is built on top of a vast and largely undisturbed underground palace, completed in 208 B.C. as the emperor's final resting place. Home to the world-famous Terracotta Army, much of the palace remains unopened by archaeologists, in waiting until the technology exists to properly preserve the relics inside. Now, the museum is using extended reality (XR) technology to give visitors a tour of the mausoleum's subterranean secrets.

Launched in July, the pioneering XR immersive exhibition, The Sealed Empire: Qinshihuang's Mausoleum, represents a monumental leap forward in the digital interpretation of historical treasures.

Built upon half a century of meticulous archaeological research, the project employs state-of-the-art digital technology to recreate the mausoleum's underground palace, breathing vibrant life into the Qin Dynasty (221-207 B.C.) civilization and giving visitors a look at the latest archaeological discoveries. 

Through interactive scenarios such as underground expeditions, tomb escape challenges and chariot parades, the exhibition offers an unmatched journey through time, allowing audiences to experience the mausoleum's historical grandeur.

Technological advancements like this one are transforming tourism, with scenic spots and cultural venues increasingly offering immersive experiences. 

Immersive experiences 

At the Mogao Caves in Dunhuang, Gansu Province, an audio guide system allows visitors to trigger in-depth explanations of cultural relics simply by taking photos, with services available in 12 languages. The Nianhua Bay Scenic Area in Wuxi, Jiangsu Province has combined light projection, sound spectacle and drone light show to create a sensation. During this year's National Day and Mid-Autumn Festival holiday from October 1 to 8, the scenic area's visitor numbers increased by 14 percent year on year.

These advancements are part of a broader national initiative. During the 14th Five-Year Plan (2021-25) period, digitalization of all of China's national 5A-level tourist attractions, the highest tier of recognition, will be completed.

Over the past five years, immersive projects powered by virtual reality (VR), augmented reality and AI have redefined travel experiences and spurred new trends in cultural and tourism consumption.

As Li Ranran, a resident in Nanjing, Jiangsu, told Xinhua News Agency, "Previously, tourists usually took a superficial glance. Now, we can travel through history and 'go up to the heavens and down to the earth (using modern technologies).' Tourists have transformed from passive receptors to active participators." 

Upgrading services 

Beyond enhancing the visitor experience, technology is also streamlining services and making them more attentive.

"Design me a travel route for October 5 in Chengdu City that avoids crowds and allows me to experience local culture," Xiamen University student Huang Yan asked a general AI large language model in the days before his visit. Within 10 seconds he received a fully customized guide, complete with a travel itinerary, authentic local food recommendations and even ticket discounts. Huang's experience demonstrates how AI is revolutionizing travel planning, transforming spontaneous "unplanned" trips from a dream into reality.

The State Council, China's highest state administrative organ, outlined plans for developing smart tourism in its January 2022 tourism development plan for the 14th Five-Year Plan period. The plan emphasizes promoting smart tourism through digital, networked and intelligent scenarios, alongside accelerating the adoption of new technologies in the sector.

The shift is palpable. Meng Xiaoxiao, a tourist from Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, told the China Tourism News newspaper, "Five years ago, when I traveled to Xi'an, many scenic spots had long queues at their ticket offices. When I visited again this October, famous scenic spots allowed online reservations and entry by scanning codes, which has improved the experience."

Notably, domestic online travel platforms are also rapidly enhancing their AI products. Specialized large language models for travel applications are delivering recommendations that are more accurate, reliable and practical than those from general-purpose models.

Tourists and businesses alike are reaping the rewards of smart tourism systems. Zhang Li, visiting the Xixi Movie Town in Yongkang City, Zhejiang Province, lauded its smart system. "My mobile phone clearly displays a panoramic map of the movie town, including icons for restrooms, parking lots, accommodation, restaurants and the visitor service center. Tourists can click on these icons to navigate to the respective locations," Zhang told China Tourism News. The local economy also benefits, with one restaurant owner, surnamed Cheng, reporting a significant revenue boost since her establishment went online with the system, with many tourists directly booking tables through it.

Technology is also proving to be an efficient solution to a pervasive problem: congestion at popular scenic spots during peak periods, which severely degrades the tourist experience. To proactively manage overcrowding, many destinations employ surveillance cameras to monitor crowd density, ensuring safety and order. Additionally, nationwide, nearly 30 provincial-level smart tourism management platforms now provide crucial data support for emergency response.

Big data platforms are also instrumental in tracking reservation numbers and daily visitor capacities. For instance, Jiangsu's Smart Cultural and Tourism Platform utilizes drone patrols to monitor key scenic spots, visitor flow and parking lot use.

Tourism governance is evolving from fragmented approaches to collaborative, multi-party efforts. The Universal Beijing Resort and the Tongzhou District Government exemplify this shift through a data sharing and emergency response coordination mechanism, designed to effectively manage exceptionally large crowds impacting urban operations.

In Hangzhou, Zhejiang, the Culture and Tourism Data Online platform showcases real-time data, incorporating nearly 200 key indicators such as scenic spot visitor flow, hotel occupancy, tourist consumption and flight bookings. This platform provides crucial data support for government decision-making, market analysis and emergency management.

In this era of technological transformation, embracing technological advancement is not merely an option but a vital opportunity for the cultural and tourism industry. Dai Bin, President of the China Tourism Academy, told Xinhua, "The competition in future tourism will not only be a competition of resources, but also a competition of technological innovation capabilities."

"The future of smart tourism is brimming with boundless imagination and possibilities, poised to become a critical frontier for the high-quality development of the tourism industry, offering robust support for improving the modern tourism system and meeting the people's growing need for a better life," he added.

Copyedited by G.P. Wilson 

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