WUHAN — Wuhan, the capital of Hubei province, is emerging as a focal point for tech-driven tourism, offering visitors interactive experiences centered on robotics and smart manufacturing in the East Lake High-tech Development Zone, also known as Optics Valley of China.
At the Hubei Humanoid Robot Innovation Center, which opened in June 2025, children and visitors can engage directly with humanoid robots through various interactive activities. For example, primary school students play the game “Red Light, Green Light” with robots that issue commands and respond to their movements, providing a unique way to showcase advances in robot learning and interaction.
The center, one of China’s largest of its kind, integrates four main sections: robot action training, data collection, application practice, and talent cultivation. It is designed to support the entire robotics innovation chain from concept validation to industrial application. Visitors can observe robots being trained in simulated environments that mimic ordinary settings such as kitchens, pharmacies, and warehouses. These real-world scenarios are used to collect data that improve robots’ capabilities.
Another notable feature at the center is the use of virtual reality (VR) training, where operators remotely control robot movements. Through VR equipment, visitors can witness how a “virtual hand” replicates human gestures in real time, enhancing robots' ability to perform delicate tasks like picking up a rose and placing it in a vase. According to Hu Longdan, a staff member at the center, the robots are still in the learning stage but could eventually serve households once sufficient training data are accumulated.
A short drive away is a Xiaomi smart factory specializing in home appliances, where visitors can observe fully automated production lines. The factory produces an air conditioner every 6.5 seconds, supported by seven unmanned transport lines that streamline logistics. Visitors can watch robots transfer goods to automated guided vehicles that transport cargo to a 24-meter-tall automated warehouse. This factory has also become a popular attraction, receiving 3,485 visitors in May alone, marking a 31 percent increase from the previous month.
The growth of tech tourism in Wuhan reflects the broader rise of China’s experience economy, as communities seek to blend advanced technology with tourism. Between March and June, tech experience sites across Optics Valley attracted about 480,000 visitors and generated more than 11 million yuan ($1.6 million) in revenue.
With its combination of robotics innovation and smart manufacturing on display, Wuhan’s Optics Valley is drawing increasing attention as a destination where the public can experience cutting-edge technology once confined to research labs and factories.