Military-themed trips gain popularity

Veterans, the youngest aged 87, visit the Nanchang August 1st Memorial Hall in Jiangxi province on Tuesday. On Aug 1, 1927, the Communist Party of China initiated the Nanchang Uprising to counter anti-communist purges by the Kuomintang. ZHU WENBIAO/CHINA DAILY

With the high-profile People's Liberation Army 90th anniversary celebrations in July, military-themed trips have gained popularity among children and parents, according to an travel industry insider.

Zhou Xiongfei, director of scenic spot affairs at Lvmama, an online travel agency, said bookings of military-related scenic spots and trips on Lvmama in July increased at least 30 percent over the same month last year.

"Sites where some famous battles took place, or sites showcasing modernized military equipment, are particularly popular with young tourists or parents who take children on trips," he said.

Among the hottest destinations are the Binhai Aircraft Carrier Theme Park in Tianjin, the Xichang Satellite Launch Center in Sichuan province and the Qingdao Navy Museum in Shandong province.

"Many parents see such trips as a good opportunity for their children to learn more about the military. Full of mystery and high-tech, the subject attracts large numbers of boys and girls," he said.

According to Zhou, China is rich in military-themed destinations, though such trips account for only a small proportion of China's tourism industry.

"There's a lot of potential to be exploited," Zhou said. For example, military-themed trips could go beyond visiting museums and war sites and expand to diverse activities such as role-playing Counter-Strike (a shooter video game) and outdoor training, he said.