For decades, technology enthusiasts, investors and engineers have often turned their attention to Silicon Valley in the US as a pilgrimage to the world of innovation. However, the rapid development of technology has changed not only the way people work, communicate or produce, but also strongly impacted the tourism industry. A new type is emerging, which is high-tech tourism, where tourists do not go to beaches, mountains or historical sites but to electric vehicle factories, artificial intelligence businesses and robot research centers.
China is becoming one of the prominent destinations of this trend. More and more international tourists are choosing to go to Shanghai, Hangzhou or Shenzhen to witness firsthand the technologies that are shaping the future. The tours are designed as journeys to explore the technology ecosystem, bringing opportunities to directly access leading businesses and products that are attracting global attention. The emergence of this type of tourism reflects how technology is expanding its influence to many economic sectors, while turning knowledge and innovative experiences into a valuable tourism product.
Pay to go experience technology
The attraction of high-tech tourism lies in the ability to bring tourists closer to technologies that they usually only see through screens or news bulletins. In China, many 3- to 5-day sightseeing programs are being organized with prices that can reach 9,000 USD. Participants are taken to electric vehicle factories, startup centers, technology industry conferences and have the opportunity to exchange with business leaders.
The names appearing in these journeys are all symbols of technological development. They are BYD, a business that surpassed Tesla in global electric vehicle sales; Unitree Robotics with humanoid robots attracting attention on social networks; or DeepSeek, an AI company often compared to ChatGPT.
According to investor Chetan Shah in Mumbai, what tourists receive is not just a tour. He believes that the tour price is quite expensive but in return is the ability to access areas that ordinary tourists cannot enter. Witnessing production capacity has helped him re-evaluate his views on global competitiveness and make more effective investment decisions.
Recognizing the potential of this market, many businesses quickly joined. GloPen, a company run by Boyang Shen in Shanghai, has welcomed more than 1,000 visitors in just 18 months. Meanwhile, Tech Buzz China develops programs for students who love science, technology, engineering and mathematics, helping them and their parents learn about areas being researched and developed. The famous YouTuber in the US - iShowSpeed has also posted experiences of flying cars in Shenzhen or German Chancellor - Friedrich Merz visiting Unitree Robotics.
Not only serving investors or businessmen, technology experiences are also increasingly popular with ordinary tourists. In Shenzhen, one of the most popular activities is a tour that allows visitors to watch drone food delivery performances, experience robotaxi and visit stores introducing AI glasses or artificial intelligence-integrated toys. Some businesses like XPeng even sell tickets to their showrooms and are often out of tickets.
Loop of curiosity and social media
The development of high-tech tourism not only comes from technology itself but is also driven by social networks and the psychology of wanting to explore new things. Videos about dancing humanoid robots, flying cars or AI applications spreading strongly on TikTok, YouTube and many other platforms have created curiosity for global audiences.
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz also became the focus of attention when he came to Unitree Robotics and watched humanoid robots perform martial arts. Famous technology podcast host Lex Fridman also publicly announced his plan to go to China to meet engineers participating in the AI revolution.
According to expert Shaoyu Yuan, a loop is forming. People watch technology content on social networks, from which curiosity arises. Curiosity leads to the decision to participate in technology tours. Real-world experiences are shared online in the form of new content, continuing to attract more viewers and create even more curiosity.
This loop is contributing to turning high-tech tourism from a niche market into a notable trend. As technology becomes increasingly an important part of global life and economy, exploring places that are creating new breakthroughs may become one of the most attractive tourism drivers of the future.
The attraction of high-tech tourism is clearly shown through the visits of famous figures. In April 2025, American YouTuber - iShowSpeed went to Shenzhen and experienced a drone. The video recording this journey attracted more than 600,000 views.
Tech Buzz China also organizes tours for STEM-oriented high school students to help parents and students better understand future technology industries. GloPen Company in Shanghai, which specializes in organizing technology tours, has welcomed more than 1,000 guests in 18 months.
