Tourists now can see ahead of time where to visit

Visitors to Zhuhai are now able to arrange routes that suit them best by experiencing them in advance with virtual reality (VR) technology at the city's first tourist information center.

The 73-sq-m facility near the landmark Zhuhai Opera House on Yeli Island in Xiangzhou came into trial operation on Dec 3. It is an open and comprehensive public tourist service center integrating consultation, complaints, publicity, exhibitions, and convenience services. There is even a resting place for the weary. 

The center encompasses consulting, interactive information, civilian service, and Zhuhai tourism video promotion areas.

Travel guidebooks are available for free. Information on food, accommodations, transportation, travel, shopping and entertainment can be accessed by a touch screen. Visitors can share the information with their friends through social networking software on their cellphones by scanning the QR code on the screen.

First tourist information center in Zhuhai [Photo courtesy Zhuhai Daily]

The VR on-spot visiting experience is a creative combination of advanced visual presentation techniques and big data on tourism, according to a project head.

The rapid development of the local tourism market is responsible for the service upgrades, said a government official. Statistics show that Zhuhai had more than 39 million tourists and revenue of about 31.7 billion yuan ($4.8 billion) in 2016.

The Zhuhai Culture, Sports & Tourism Bureau guided the center's construction.