Robots and robotic dogs delight tourists in Zhangjiajie

Robots and robotic dogs recently formed an adorable duo to greet tourists at a scenic area in Zhangjiajie, Hunan province.

At the Baofeng Lake scenic area, they improvised interactions with local folk singers and became "social stars" by interacting with tourists.

The scenic area's robotic "tour guides", accompanied by their mascot Langlang, later boarded the sightseeing trains traveling through its surreal peaks and valleys, leaving visitors marveling that it feels like stepping into a sci-fi movie.

The robotic porter pups at the Yangjiajie cable car station sparked particular excitement. The machines carried luggage for tourists, even adding playful, whimsical movements to brighten their journeys.

Sun Guoxu, a senior tourist from Taiwan, shared his enthusiasm after interacting with a robot: "Experiencing futuristic technology amid Zhangjiajie's fairy-tale landscapes — this is the true essence of 'Chinese-style romance'!"

Zhang Jianchi, Party secretary of Zhangjiajie Tourism Group, said the deep integration of technology and cultural tourism is key to unlocking new productive forces.

The company plans to leverage AI algorithms to coordinate tourist flow and promote ecological conservation intelligently. Additionally, it will use AR technology to develop sci-fi-themed attractions and deploy robot clusters to enhance cultural experiences—all aimed at diversifying the region's tourism offerings, Zhang said.