China’s low-altitude tourism is rapidly rising, attracting thrill-seekers nationwide. The trend transforms traditional sightseeing into aerial adventures, including paragliding, skydiving, and helicopter tours.
In Zhejiang province, Li Duo, a 20-something from Shanghai, tried paragliding for the first time on Mogan Mountain. She said the flight was “breathtaking” and offered unique views of bamboo forests and tea gardens. Li also took stunning photos during the glide.
Yang Aiping, manager of the paragliding base, said annual visitors rose from under 10,000 in 2019 to over 100,000 in 2025. Deqing and Anji counties in Huzhou launched multiple low-altitude flight routes. Government support has helped expand the sector.
In Sanya, Hainan province, skydiving is now a major attraction. One base welcomed 6,000 customers in early 2025, up 20 percent from last year. Official data show Sanya served 287,000 tourists in the first half of 2024, a 112-percent increase from 2023. Revenue exceeded 730 million yuan and created 2,300 jobs.
Experts say China’s growing low-altitude economy drives this boom. Zhao Yuehua from the aviation industry research center explained that flight costs dropped from 3,000 yuan per person a decade ago to about 1,000 yuan today. This makes aerial experiences more accessible.
The government named the low-altitude economy a key growth engine in 2024. The Civil Aviation Administration projects the sector will reach 1.5 trillion yuan by 2025 and 3.5 trillion yuan by 2035. Data show 89,000 active enterprises, including 11,700 new registrations in early 2025.
Liao Jian, operations director at Wuzhizhou Island tourism zone, said low-altitude tourism shifts travel from two-dimensional to three-dimensional experiences. It stimulates consumption and local economic growth.
Overall, low-altitude tourism is reshaping China’s travel industry. It creates jobs, increases revenue, and gives travelers unique aerial adventures.
