Tonglu County in eastern China is redefining its tourism approach by blending natural scenery with interactive experiences and infrastructure upgrades. The strategy is designed to transform passive sightseeing into active participation, encouraging visitors to linger longer and spend more. This shift is evident in the recent activities at the Chuiyun Tongtian River scenic area, where Olympic champion diver Quan Hongchan visited in early August, not to dive, but to engage with a costumed performer known as the “Turtle Immortal.” This performer, played by 26-year-old opera performer Zhang Yunbin, entertains visitors on boats navigating through rivers and caves, improvising interactions that have become viral sensations on Chinese social media. The character has drawn visitors specifically to meet him, highlighting the appeal of such immersive encounters.
The “Turtle Immortal” is part of a larger cast of over 120 performers inspired by the classic novel “Journey to the West.” These performers, including Zhu Bajie and the Bull Demon King, do not deliver a fixed show but instead improvise with visitors, posing for photos and drawing them into short scenes. This approach is part of what tourism marketers call immersive travel, and it is being replicated across other sites in Tonglu, such as Yaolin Wonderland and Yan Ziling Fishing Platform, where performers appear among caves and riverbanks as characters from folklore and history. The goal is to give visitors a reason to linger, rather than just take a quick photo and leave.
One of Tonglu’s most unconventional tourism experiments is located at a highway rest stop. During China’s May Day holiday, the Tonglu service area on the G25 Changchun–Shenzhen Expressway featured a large aquarium and mermaid performances, attracting over 80,000 visitors a day. This attraction turned a routine highway break into a destination, capturing spending that would otherwise pass through the county. According to county data, Tonglu received 1.61 million visits during the May Day holiday, a 13.2% increase from the previous year, with tourism revenue reaching 958 million yuan (approximately $132 million), a 12.4% increase. While these numbers do not prove a direct causation, they underscore the value Tonglu sees in making travel stops more memorable and converting short visits into longer stays.
In late July, Tonglu launched a summer tourism campaign titled “Water Play Kingdom: Tonglu Is Wild,” aimed at attracting visitors with rafting, family activities, village stays, and outdoor recreation. The county now offers a diverse range of options, from river rafting to rural walks and evening events, moving away from promoting a single landmark to creating a variety of experiences that encourage full weekend visits or return trips in different seasons. This broader approach is crucial for a destination rich in natural scenery, where rivers, caves, and hills are now being treated as settings for activities and storytelling rather than mere backdrops.
Tonglu is also preparing for more international travelers. The multilingual “Turtle Immortal,” who speaks English and Russian, has become a lighthearted symbol of this effort, with Chinese social-media users joking that “the Heavenly Palace has opened an international branch.” Behind the jest is a practical initiative: Yaolin township has been selected as a provincial pilot area for inbound-tourism innovation, focusing on multilingual signs, international payment options, and other services for overseas guests. For international visitors, these details are as important as the attractions themselves, determining whether a trip feels easy or frustrating. Tonglu’s tourism push remains rooted in its natural assets—water, mountains, and caves—but the role of the visitor is changing. Tourists may still come for the view, but they are now invited to joke with cave characters, watch mermaids at a highway rest stop, or engage in activities that demand more than just posing for a photo.
