Breathing creativity back into rusty factories
Beijing revitalizes industrial heritage into cultural hubs, reshaping community spaces and boosting tourism appeal, Yang Feiyue reports.
In October, Beijing authorities issued an implementation plan for promoting the high-quality development of industrial tourism (2025-27), which aims to attract 20 million industrial tourist visits annually, generating 3 billion yuan in revenue by 2027.
The plan outlines efforts to develop a high-quality industrial tourism product system, enhance service standards throughout the visitor experience, create an efficient support system for industrial tourism, and introduce safeguard measures to ensure sustainable development.
As a birthplace of modern Chinese industry, a key formation ground for New China's industrial system, and a pioneer in advancing new industrialization, Beijing possesses a rich industrial culture blending historical depth with innovation, Li explains.
"We aim to activate and utilize these resources, making them a crucial breakthrough for fostering new quality productive forces and new growth points," Li says.
Zhang from the Beijing Municipal Bureau of Culture and Tourism notes that the designated industrial tourism demonstration sites span all districts of the capital.
Starting from the urban core, the Beijing Enamel Factory in Dongcheng district upholds royal craftsmanship and intangible cultural heritage experiences, while Tianning No 1 Cultural and Technological Innovation Park in Xicheng merges industrial relics from an old thermal power plant, including old water pumps, electric motors, and steam turbines, with leisure and cultural experiences.
In Fengtai district, the Erqi Locomotive Factory retains its industrial style and historical traces while welcoming fashion studios, and creative and handicraft workshops. Shougang Park in Shijingshan district has transformed itself from a steel giant into an Olympic heritage and creative cultural spot.
"These examples are merely a glimpse into Beijing's rich repository of industrial tourism potential," Zhang says.
"Collectively, they prove that factory workshops can be classrooms, production lines can be landscapes, and industrial culture can be compelling, thought-provoking tourism products," he adds.
