Tourits await the rocket launch at the beach of Qishui Bay in Longlou Township of Wenchang, south China's Hainan Province, Feb. 27, 2022. (Xinhua/Zhou Huimin)
HAIKOU, March 1 (Xinhua) -- When the Long March-8 rocket soared into the azure sky on Sunday, the mass of spectators on the beach burst out cheering.
Regarded as one of the best open view sites, the beach of Qishui Bay in Longlou, a coastal town of Wenchang City in south China's Hainan Province, attracted tens of thousands of tourists from all over the country.
Wang Hao, a college student from northeastern Chinese city Harbin, watched the rocket launch for the first time. "It's overwhelming and I feel so excited," he said, adding that he was proud of the greatness of the country.
Wenchang Spacecraft Launch Site is the fourth one of the country's launch sites and the only one by the seaside. The once unknown fishing town became a famous "space town" due to the settlement of the launch site. Each time a rocket is set to be launched, tourists flock to the town.
The small town stepped into the spotlight again as China successfully launched its Long March-8 rocket here on Sunday. More than 40 hotels and guesthouses across the town were fully booked before the launch.
Thanks to the rocket launch, Li Xuesong's homestay embraced a peak period.
Tourits await the rocket launch at the beach of Qishui Bay in Longlou Township of Wenchang, south China's Hainan Province, Feb. 27, 2022. (Xinhua/Zhou Huimin)
Located in Haibian Village by the seaside, the homestay is popular as tourists can see the rocket launch clearly from there.
"The rooms were fully booked about 20 days ago," said Li, adding that the homestay had only 14 rooms, and tourists constantly came to ask about the rooms even after they were fully booked. "It is hard to find a room during the launch period," he added.
Li, from Beijing, once participated in the construction of the Wenchang Spacecraft Launch Site. When the construction was completed, he decided to stay and start his own business. He opened a homestay in the small fishing village in 2017.
"The rocket launch has greatly promoted the small town's tourism. All the hotels and restaurants become hotspots," said Li, adding that in addition to the unique resource of launching rockets in Hainan, the town also boasts rich tourism resources including endless coastlines and mountains, noting the great potential for tourism.
At the entrance of the Wenchang Spacecraft Launch Site is the Wenchang Spaceflight Science Center. Tourists can visit various kinds of rocket models and debris, learn about the development of China's space industry, and have a VR experience in space.
Luo Haiyan, a tourist from Henan Province, came to Hainan for the rocket launch and her first stop was visiting the science center.
"I came here to learn about the new development of the space industry of our country," she said. "I also plan to taste the local food and experience the culture here."
The spacecraft launch has brought a boom to the tourism of Longlou Township, home to 27,000 permanent residents.
The town received over 500,000 tourists in 2021, and many local residents and villagers turned to engage in tourism. The annual per capita disposable income has risen to 19,171 yuan (about 3,032 US. dollars) in 2021 from 5,559 yuan in 2009. ■
