“BEIJING -- When Yang Xingyue heard that tech company Xiaomi was offering free tours of its electric-vehicle plant, she dropped everything and applied for tickets.
The odds weren't good. After Xiaomi launched an online lottery last January for public access to its highly automated facility on the outskirts of Beijing, locals and tourists rushed to enter. Word spread on social media.
Influencers looking for a perfect photo op competed against tiger moms hoping that a glimpse of the robot-powered assembly lines might inspire their kids to pursue tech careers.
More than 100,000 people entered the lottery for about 200 tours in December and January, making the EV plant harder to get into than some competitive colleges.
Yang, a car aficionado, wanted to give her 2-year-old son a close-up look at the factory. To her amazement, she was selected for a tour last March, allowing her to bring up to two guests. "I was very lucky," said the 35-year-old content creator in Beijing.
But her son wouldn't be joining her; Xiaomi requires children to be at least 6 to attend. She brought a friend instead, and plans to go back when her son is old enough.
During the one-hour tour, she saw hundreds of automated robotic arms and machines on the factory floor. She said she came away with a newfound appreciation for how fast China's technology has developed. "It was a very advanced industrial factory," she said. "I thought, 'Oh, so this is how cars are made.'"
Tech education
That's one reason industrial tourism is taking over China. Beijing is drumming up national pride in its high-tech manufacturing, as the country known as the world's factory floor has also become a global leader in advanced technologies. The municipal government recently set a goal of attracting 20 million industrial tourism visits annually by 2027.
Chinese companies, meanwhile, are looking for novel ways to connect with customers in the country's uber-competitive market. People are flocking to factory tours hosted by EV maker NIO, dairy manufacturer Mengniu, brewer Tsingtao and others.
Xiaomi, a top phone maker that launched its first EV in 2024, began offering its public tours after receiving requests from customers. The company bumped up the number to 126 for January from 118 in December to accommodate students on winter break.
One mom who scored a slot last month said seeing her daughter's eyes light up in the factory made the trip from their home in neighboring Hebei province worth it.
"The best education is letting children see the power of technology with their own eyes," she wrote on social-media platform Xiaohongshu. "It's more effective than saying 'study hard' a hundred times."
Moms looking for that same STEM spark now trade tips for getting a reservation. One piece of advice: Make sure to pick up the phone if Xiaomi calls.
"My first booking failed, probably because my husband didn't answer the call," one woman from Beijing posted on Xiaohongshu.
On one tour last year, a group of about 30 visitors included five elementary-school-aged kids, three teenagers and two young couples holding hands. Several people stored suitcases near the check-in table. Everyone wore stickers saying "tourist" in Chinese and "sightseer" in English.
Before the 15-minute drive through the factory, visitors are given pouches to lock their phones; no photos or videos allowed. Golf cart-like vehicles guide tourists through a whir of mechanical arms and machines.
Afterward, there are plenty of photo ops. Attendees can test ride the Xiaomi SU7, a Porsche look-alike that starts at around $30,000 and has a wait list. Visitors can also dine at the company cafeteria, which offers a set meal for the equivalent of about $2.
One woman posted an image on Xiaohongshu of the rice and vegetables she ate at the canteen. "The price is cheap, but the taste is really not great," she said. "If it's like this every day, that's a bit concerning for the hardworking staff."
Photo ops
Some come just for a picture in the showroom lobby, where an electric blue SU7 on a Mobius strip hangs from a mirrored ceiling. It has become a hot spot for "da ka," meaning punching a card, a phenomenon in China where tourists go to locations specifically to take pictures and post on social media for digital clout.
Rui Ma, founder of research firm Tech Buzz China, has taken private tours of factories at Xiaomi and NIO as part of the trips to China she organizes for global investors. After seeing children visiting tech companies and trade shows there, she was inspired to begin organizing a STEM education trip to China for students from around the world.
Ma, who is based in Silicon Valley, would like to bring her own children to a factory, but will have to wait a few years. They are 3 and 1.
"I never thought of taking my kids to visit a factory," she said. "But now I'm like, 'Hey, that's actually not a bad idea!'"” [1]
Lithuanian industry is ready to die.
1. The Hottest Ticket in China Is a Tour of a Factory Floor --- Parents, car aficionados and other industrial tourists fight for limited spots. Miao, Hannah. Wall Street Journal, Eastern edition; New York, N.Y.. 05 Jan 2026: A1.
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