Aerial adventure

This year's peak flower season is being blended with the latest tech trends. In addition to the traditional flower-viewing walks, visitors to Chengdu, Sichuan province, can board fixed-wing aircraft or helicopters, soaring just a few hundred meters above the ground to take in sweeping views of the vast floral landscapes.

Despite waiting five hours due to airspace restrictions, a tourist surnamed Zhao said her 10-minute helicopter ride last week at helicopter club Flight Now was still a "worthwhile experience".

The club said that on weekends, the number of daily flights can reach 30 to 40. Beyond aerial sightseeing, there is also a growing demand from tourists for hands-on aircraft flying experiences.

Data from e-commerce platform Meituan showed that the number of merchants launching "helicopter ride" and "sky-high tour" services on the platform has doubled year-on-year, and the number of group bookings for such low-altitude flight services has nearly quadrupled.

Airports in cities such as Chengdu and Shenzhen, Guangdong province, have also tapped into the flower-themed tourism market, launching a growing number of routes for flying over blossoms since March.

The low-altitude flower phenomenon provides more than a fresh lens to appreciate nature. It is a trend of modern tourism that integrates cutting-edge aviation with scenic exploration. Fancy flying vehicles, such as electric vertical take-off and landing aircraft, unmanned aerial vehicles and future-oriented aircraft are poised to open new air routes across China, pioneering the next chapter of aerial tourism.

In the city of Tianshui in Gansu province, visitors can board a vertical take-off and landing aircraft and enjoy a low-altitude flight at 300 meters to view the 1,600-year-old Maijishan Grottoes.

Hefei-based Zero Gravity Aircraft Industry has designed a spacecraft-like unmanned electric flying vehicle called the ZG-ONE, a star product that consistently attracts attention at exhibitions across China. It is specifically aimed at low-altitude tourism and short-distance travel.

State-owned enterprises such as the Aviation Industry Corporation of China are also entering the market, developing civil airships such as the AS700 for scenic tours.

China recently made public a plan on special initiatives to increase consumption, highlighting the orderly development of low-altitude consumption sectors, including low-altitude tourism, aviation sports and consumer-grade drones.

Zhao Deli, founder of the Chinese flying car company Xpeng Aeroht, said that the policy will infuse new vitality into the development of the market. "This includes accelerating infrastructure construction, attracting greater capital investment and encouraging increased consumer participation," Zhao said.

State-owned giants such as the Aviation Industry Corporation of China are also entering the market, developing civil airships such as the AS700 for scenic tours.

Xinhua