Global investors and executives are paying thousands for rare access to Chinese factories as fears of a China shock 2.0
drive a surge in tech tourism, with industrial tourism generating $17.8 billion last year, and projected to hit $44.6 billion by 2029.
BEIJING—Humanoid robots working on factory floors, AI models challenging global rivals, and electric-vehicle plants churning out cars at breathtaking scale are drawing a new wave of foreign visitors to China. Investors and entrepreneurs are paying up to $15,000 for five-day tours to see firsthand what many believe could be the next technological revolution.
A Surge in Tech Tourism
The influx reflects mounting fears of a China shock 2.0,
with Western boardrooms and capitals confronting the possibility that Chinese companies are seizing the lead in advanced manufacturing and cutting-edge technologies. Right now, people are looking at China as an object of study and learning — a trend that barely existed just a few years ago,
says Robert Wu, CEO of Shanghai-based data research firm Baiguan.
Wu has organized two tours for more than two dozen investors, entrepreneurs, and executives so far, charging up to $15,000 for a five-day programme. Around half the participants came from Southeast Asia. He is part of a growing cottage industry catering to foreign demand for first-hand access to China’s innovation ecosystem.
Shanghai-based tech tour agency GloPen reported a 50% increase in inquiries in 2026 from mostly European and Singaporean clients, and it now runs over 100 single-day company tours every month. You cannot grasp the true scale, speed, and physicality of Chinese innovation without standing on the factory floor,
says Bertrand Chen, CEO of the Global Shipping Business Network, who joined an April three-city robotics and emerging tech tour organized by Chinese American investor Rui Ma.
Europe’s Anxiety and Strategic Visits
For European executives wrestling with sluggish productivity growth and fears of falling behind in AI and robotics, China has become an especially important destination. Alex Shengyun Lu, a Shanghai-based AI consultant at Praxis Advisory, has led seven delegations of up to 50 corporate visitors since late 2025 and describes an uneasy mood.
The smartest people in Europe are acutely aware of the situation. The insecurity is palpable,
he says. Executives typically arrive seeking answers to two questions, Lu said: what they can learn from Chinese companies and from China’s state-backed approach to technology investment.
They are coming here with a genuine mindset of humility and learning,
Lu adds. Many European executives want to understand how China coordinates AI deployment across provinces at scale and what lessons can be applied back home. However, some industry observers caution against overstating China’s advantage.
Factory Floors and Scalping Tickets
Beijing has explicitly pledged to vigorously promote
industrial tourism, designating over 140 official demonstration sites. A growing number of factories are offering public tours at around $60 a pop. Xiaomi’s EV factory has welcomed more than 250,000 visitors since March 2024. Demand is so intense that lottery-awarded entry slots are scalped online for up to 2,000 yuan ($300).
World leaders have also flocked to Xiaomi’s Beijing auto factory, while Germany’s Chancellor Friedrich Merz was famously filmed watching Unitree’s dancing humanoid robots in Hangzhou, a high-profile showcase of the country’s technological ascent. Even if you're not actively investing in China, you're increasingly likely to encounter Chinese companies as competitors, partners, suppliers, or investments in markets around the world,
says Rui Ma, founder of Tech Buzz China.
The Broader Implications
While data on tech tours is scarce, broader industrial tourism is booming. China’s industrial tourism sector pulled in $17.8 billion last year, according to state media, and is projected to blow past 300 billion yuan ($44.6 billion) by 2029. The circuit spans Beijing, Shenzhen, Shanghai, Hangzhou, and Hefei, the industrial powerhouses at the heart of China’s electric-vehicle, battery, AI, and robotics boom.
Non-Chinese (tech) companies still have most of the global market share, the most advanced IP, and the biggest profits, according to Ma. Yet the flow of tech pilgrims remains strong, including American visitors despite escalating U.S.-China technology tensions.
As China continues to expand its industrial tourism infrastructure, the focus will shift to how foreign companies adapt to this new reality. With the 2029 projection looming, the coming years will test whether the global tech landscape can keep pace with China’s rapid advancements. For now, the factory floors remain the ultimate classroom for those seeking to understand the future of innovation.
