An undated aerial drone photo shows tourists “Wimp Rafting” in Mao’er Mountain Scenic Area, Guilin, south China’s Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region. (Xinhua)
NANNING, June 5 (Xinhua) — For Chen Zhixin and his family, this year’s mountaineering trip at the Panwang Realm scenic spot in the Dayao Mountains, a tourist attraction reaching about 1,000 meters above sea level in south China’s Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, felt like a leisurely stroll compared to what they had experienced in the past.
“No trekking up the steep and winding path toward the peak,” said Chen. “And this did not prevent us from enjoying the awe-inspiring sights that nature has to offer at every turn.”
In a welcome twist to traditional mountaineering, where stunning views often come at the cost of a grueling hike, this scenic area in the Dayao Mountains, which was reopened earlier this year after being retrofitted with all kinds of amenities, has been designed to take strain off the legs of visitors.
This upgrade also allows guests to try out more adventurous options like via ferrata, a climbing route equipped with steel cables, iron rungs and ladders fixed to rock surfaces, as well as high-altitude trampolining.
Now, the journey to the top of the mountain begins with a 1,650-meter long cable car ride, followed by a smooth 8,000-meter walk along a flat trail which provides visitors with an almost effortless ascent to a couple of 100-meter-high sightseeing elevators, which then carry them to the place where they could nearly touch the lotus-shaped peak.
From “easy” hiking trails equipped with cable cars and escalators to drifting along gentle rivers via an inflatable vest, the emergence of “painless” tourism, a new trend lauded by many for offering stress-free ways to cut loose, has quietly redefined the way tourists venture outdoors and made nature’s splendor more accessible to a wider range of travelers, regardless of age or physical capabilities.
“This is the first time I’ve left my footprints on multiple peaks without feeling completely worn out,” exclaimed Zhang Xiaoyu, a travel enthusiast in his 30s from Shanghai in east China, as he and his family wrapped up their visit to Panwang. “And the best part is that neither the kids nor the grandparents had a single complaint during the whole trip.”
“The idea of making these innovations goes beyond catering to people with special needs,” said Huang Meiling, the area’s general manager. “We expect our barrier-free infrastructure to broaden the appeal of the place and attract anyone looking for a more comfortable outing, thereby boosting its popularity and revenue.”
“Painless” mountain climbing has evolved from being a mere novelty to an approach that has been increasingly adopted by scenic areas and tourist attractions across China.
On rednote, a popular Chinese lifestyle app, posts with the hashtag “painless hiking” has been viewed over 3.6 million times, with users sharing photos and videos of amenities-assisted travel in places like Shaanxi in northwest China, Zhejiang in east China and Hunan in central China.
“Increased accessibility lowers the bar for mountain tourism, making it more friendly for all ages,” said Huang.
While some mountains can be tamed with tech-laden installations, some waterways have been repurposed for “do-nothing” staycations.
Rafting, which is usually associated with adrenaline-pumping thrills, has been revamped by Guangxi’s Mao’er Mountain Scenic Area with the launch of its “Wimp Rafting” option last year. In this laid-back experience, participants, donning essential safety gear, can simply lie flat, allowing the gentle current of the river to carry them along.
Social media has been abuzz with rave reviews about its “super chill vibe,” propelling this once-niche destination to attract over 10,000 visitors in 2024, with a daily peak of 300 visitors.
“We came up with this unorthodox format by tapping into people’s craving for therapeutic travel experiences,” said Huang Jin, a deputy general manager of the scenic area. “The zero-skill, zero-stress, low-risk nature of such an activity perfectly aligns with the growing demand for ‘painless’ tourism.”
The success of “Wimp Rafting” has inspired similar projects in many places in Guangxi and beyond, breathing new life into lesser-known destinations and signaling a broader shift toward more relaxed outdoor adventures.
According to a recent market research report, this trend in outdoor recreation has held steady across all demographics — showing an expanding market that has been able to meet the increasingly sophisticated demands of the public.
Data from LY.COM, a leading Chinese online booking platform, reveals that in the first half of 2024, outdoor-related orders had surged by 59.78 percent compared with the same period a year earlier.
However, the rise of “no pain” tourism has raised eyebrows among some industry experts, due to concerns about how such developments may affect the authenticity of the experiences offered.
“It can come across as a bit ‘inorganic,'” said Guan Zhiyuan, a seasoned travel agent based in the tourist hub of Guilin in Guangxi. “There is a risk it could potentially prevent tourists from experiencing the raw beauty of nature and the visceral joy of hiking in its original form.”
Guan prefers a more balanced and thoughtful solution that allows guests to “easily” soak in the amazing views up close while also protecting delicate ecosystems from over-development, like the sedan chair hiring service at Reed Flute Cave, a famous limestone cave in Guilin.
“Building a wheelchair accessible route inside the cave was initially proposed, but it was vetoed by the local authorities,” said Guan. “Instead, they opted for a more sustainable practice by hiring locals to help ferry physically challenged visitors on the trek.”
Dai Bin, president of China Tourism Academy, suggested that the industry should pivot toward developing new forms of tourism experiences in the future — including green tourism, ecotourism and educational tourism.
“Only by fulfilling public demand for high-quality, diverse and personalized experiences, can a virtuous cycle of ‘demand driving supply and supply generating new demand’ be formed,” said Dai. ■
An undated aerial drone photo shows tourists “Wimp Rafting” in Mao’er Mountain Scenic Area, Guilin, south China’s Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region. (Xinhua)
This undated file drone photo shows the twin elevators in Panwang Realm scenic spot in Dayao Mountains, south China’s Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region. (Xinhua)
