Virtual visits

Qiu Wenzhong, director of the administration of Yuanmingyuan, or the Old Summer Palace, says the Qing Dynasty emperors' seasonal resort has been undergoing digitalization since 2009.

"In the digital age, due to reasons such as distance, time constraints and other factors … digitization provides us with an excellent supplement and a great alternative," Qiu says. But he says he believes real-life immersion still provides the best experience.

"We scanned the site, studied various relics and combined historical documents, samples and Qing Dynasty engineering practices to digitally restore a large number of buildings," Qiu recalls.

"It is precisely because of this extensive foundational and cultural research that Yuanmingyuan now has rich cultural content. Based on this research foundation, we have developed cultural and creative digital products and re-creations of certain scenes."

The park now offers a 720-degree "time-travel" experience, which takes travelers back to the historical glory of Yuanmingyuan through digital technology. Visitors can witness the past and present of Yuanmingyuan, which is presented not only in its entirety, including its former architectural appearance, but also through interesting anecdotes and re-enactments of past scenes. The goal is to ensure the experiential project is not just about observation but truly immerses visitors so that they feel like active participants.

Such tech-powered operations have enhanced traveler experience at Yuanmingyuan.

The time-travel experience has produced great results, Qiu says. Over 1,000 people — about 80 percent of its capacity — visited per day on most days during last year's school summer vacation period, he says.