Wenchang in South China’s Hainan sets sight on becoming a leading space launch tourism hub: official

Space launches have helped boost tourism in Wenchang, South China's Hainan Province. Wenchang International Aerospace City will harness the advantages of Hainan Free Trade Port and the commercial potential of the aerospace industry to cultivate a world-class launch site and build a world-class aerospace city that highlights aerospace culture and tourism, Xiao Lin, deputy commissioner of Wenchang International Aerospace City Administration, told the Global Times on Thursday.

"Space launch-related tourism is poised to become a new form of intellectual property for Hainan, alongside the construction of key aerospace projects, an aerospace theme park, and the introduction of international partners, backed by rich natural and historical resources and the strong development of the aerospace industry in Hainan," Xiao said.

Wenchang is home to China's first commercial spacecraft launch site and also to the coastal national Wenchang space-port, making it a popular destination for tourists eager to witness space launches.

Each year, tourists from around the world flock to the town of Longlou to watch rocket launches, witnessing China take one step after another towards becoming a space power, booking out hotels with the best views of the commercial spacecraft launch site, Li Haiyan, who runs a seaside homestay with her husband in Longlou, told the Global Times on Thursday.

"Nearly all hotel rooms are reserved one month ahead of each launch, and visitors — space enthusiasts, researchers, photographers, and families — usually occupy 90 percent of our hotel rooms five days ahead of the launch," Li said. In 2023, Li expanded her facilities from 10 rooms to 30 rooms and recouped her investment within a year.

Reflecting on the area's transformation, Guo Qiang, deputy secretary of the Party Committee of Hainan International Commercial Space Launch Co, told the Global Times that three years ago, the site was merely a grove of coconut trees. Now, the seaside Wenchang center covers more than 12 square kilometers, the equivalent of 1,700 soccer fields. Starting this year, commercial space launches will enter a routine phase, with the potential for a launch every two weeks," Guo said.

By the end of February 2025, more than 700 space-related enterprises had settled in Wenchang International Space City, with 26 satellite industry cluster companies expanding their operations, according to official data.

As Wenchang achieves breakthroughs in commercial space launches, its space-themed tourism and cultural industries are experiencing a boom too.

Data from the Wenchang Municipal Bureau of Tourism and Culture shows that Longlou Town—home to the rocket launching pad—now has over 50 guesthouses, welcomed more than 300,000 visitors in 2024, and generated tourism revenue exceeding 100 million yuan ($14.8 million).

The per capita annual income in Longlou has increased from 5,505 yuan in 2009 to 16,514 yuan in 2019, with over 5,000 people now employed in tourism-related jobs.

In order to transform the large influx of tourists brought by space launches into a local consumer economic force, Xiao emphasized that Wenchang will focus on developing space-themed tourism, including educational activities and industrial tourism routes, to expand market potential of the space launch related tourism industry. The goal is to extend visitors' stays to more than two days, with an average consumption of 1,000 yuan per person, significantly boosting the local economy.

"The city is planning a series of large-scale projects, including a space museum, space theme park, space-themed hotels, and a sea-based viewing platform, in collaboration with China Tourism Group," Xiao said.

Looking ahead, Wenchang International Aerospace City plans to utilize the favorable policies of the Hainan Free Trade Port to boost international collaboration.

Xiao said the city aims to promote its satellite and rocket data services and space tourism offerings globally, attracting more international investment and establishing itself as a world-leading hub for commercial space activity. Space launch tourism holds strong potential in Hainan, where developing the aerospace industry is a key pillar of the province's growth strategy.

According to a recent document released by the local government, Hainan will accelerate the development of the rocket, satellite, and data industries, and promote the establishment of commercial space development regulations for the Hainan Free Trade Port. It also calls for accelerating the planning of innovative cultural and tourism projects, such as aerospace museums and science centers.

The document notes that the ultimate goal is to position the region as a key site for developing new productive forces, with an emphasis on expanding the province's space industry.