He was joined by hundreds of thousands of travel aficionados who enjoyed the stunning views on their mobile devices in what has come to be known as “cloud tourism.”
During the five-day holiday, Zha, 44, would begin his day with a broadcast of the sunrise at the top of the mountain at 5 am. He then would trek more than 10 kilometers across the grand canyon and wait for the sunset with his only companion – three mobile phones.
“Cloud tourism” has become a new trend in China as people are advised not to go on long trips due to a resurgence in COVID-19 cases. Thanks to livestreaming, people can visit tourist attractions virtually and appreciate the scenery without going outdoors.
A live tour of Shanghai Wild Animal Park attracted over 10 million viewers in less than a month. During the May Day holidays, more than 1 million tourists virtually visited several cultural sites, scenic spots and museums in Taiyuan in North China’s Shanxi Province.
Having worked in the tourism industry for more than two decades, Zha began experimenting with live streaming in 2020 due to the impact of the epidemic. His affable attitude, engaging presentation abilities, and high-quality filming have helped him accumulate more than 700,000 followers within three years.
“The epidemic has made it hard for many people to travel far away. I hope to share the magnificent view of Huangshan Mountain in different seasons from my own perspective,” Zha said.
In 2021, he lived on Huangshan Mountain for more than 280 days, and the live broadcast lasted for more than 2,000 hours, attracting over 51 million viewers.
Not far away from the Huangshan Mountain, the ancient Hongcun Village, a renowned cultural heritage site in Yixian county, is also exploring new possibilities.
In less than a year since the village created an…