Tourism thriving

Each launch also helps fuel a vibrant "aerospace tourism" sector, with thousands of spectators flocking to local viewing points. "Hainan has a good natural environment and the country's only low-latitude, coastal rocket launch site. Every launch attracts a large number of tourists," said Xin Guotao, operations manager at the Wenchang Shanhaitian Convention Center.

In surrounding towns, many guesthouses offer rooftop viewing.

The center's roof can accommodate over 300 viewers, providing refreshments, aerospace lectures and video screenings.

Tourists from across China have been enjoying the thrills of the launch experience.

Tang Yutong from Guangdong province has traveled to Wenchang multiple times to "chase rockets", often dressed in traditional moon Goddess Chang'e and Jade Rabbit costumes to blend ancient myth with modern technology.

"A person must come to see a rocket launch by the sea once in their lifetime," said Si Shuxian, a tourist from Henan province. "Bringing my kids here can let them see for themselves our country's strength."

Chen Jiaojiao, from Sanya, Hainan, said watching rocket launches connects people from different regions."Tourists from all over the country, and even the world, gather in Wenchang. We don't know each other but share the same expectation, cheering together for the rocket's ascent."

At the Wenchang Space Supercomputing Science and Technology Museum, satellites like the Wenchang Supercomputing 1 are on display.

The Wenchang Jixing Meteorite Museum integrates aerospace technology with cultural tourism innovation. It showcases over 400 celestial specimens, and invites visitors to view the mysteries of the universe.

Through artificial intelligence interactions, virtual reality tours and other technology, it offers an immersive space exploration experience. This "tech-infused tourism" model reflects the Hainan Free Trade Port's broader strategy to diversify and modernize its tourism and technology sectors, officials said.

"Parent-child and family trips are the main visits during holidays, with foot traffic significantly higher than usual," said a representative from the Wenchang Jixing Meteorite Museum. Combining aerospace with cultural tourism has strong appeal, with science popularization classes and interactive experiments making aerospace charm tangible.

Chen Jian'ge, secretary-general of the Wenchang Tourism Association, said the future of aerospace tourism requires breaking boundaries for greater integration, suggesting further developing iconic aerospace tourism IPs and more diverse, professional tourism formats.

Contact the writers at chenbowen@chinadaily.com.cn