China’s New Travel Trend: ‘Low-Altitude Tourism’ Explained

The name needs some work, but the trend seems real: “Low-altitude economy” refers to activities within airspace under 1,000 meters — think helicopter rides, paragliding, goods transported by drones and now, flying taxi-powered sightseeing. 

A new deal between EHang Holdings and China’s Zhejiang Sunriver Culture and Tourism highlights the idea. EHang Holdings operates electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft.

Sunriver has over 40 tourist destinations, including sites like the Bailong Elevator and Huanglong Cave in Hunan Province, Bifeng Canyon in Ya'an City, and Danxia Mountain in Guangdong Province. By introducing eVTOL aircraft to these locations, Sunriver aims to create a smart tourism model, starting with five units and scaling up to 50.

The latest collaboration isn’t just about sightseeing. It’s a testbed for integrating autonomous technology into everyday travel.