Drifting economy invigorating lazy, hazy hot season

As summer heat arrives, the popularity of drifting along waterways in an attempt to keep cool continues to rise across the country, helping propel the event from a singular water entertainment activity to one of the premier choices for summer tourism.

In cities like Changsha, Zhangjiajie, Shaoyang and Yueyang in Hunan province, there is a dense distribution of drifting businesses, indicating a vibrant market for tourists looking to escape the scorching temperatures.

Several drifting attractions in Hunan have seen a continuous increase in visitor numbers, stimulating a cooling-off economy in summer and injecting vigorous energy into the regional cultural tourism market.

As a typical example, the Weishan River in Ningxiang county, Changsha, capital of Hunan, receives an average of 1,800 visitors on weekdays and 4,200 visitors on weekends, according to data from the scenic spot administrative office.

The river, in Weishan town, has a total length of about 3.8 kilometers, lined on either side with steep peaks and covered in moss-covered rocks, providing an ideal environment for tourists to escape the heat of summer.

With a drop of around 200 meters and a drifting journey of about 90 minutes, it's all part of a thrilling drifting experience.

Drifting's popularity has also helped boost development of homestays in Weishan, according to local tourism and cultural authorities.

There are currently some 232 homestays around the Weishan drifting site, with each unit hosting an average of 18 guests during the early stages of the summer season.

The highest number of guests hosted by a single homestay is over 50, with the number being expected to increase continuously, according to the local tourism and cultural authorities.

The summer tourism season plays a significant role in local economic development, bringing financial benefits to locals. In 2024, the entire Weishan town received 325,000 summer tourists, generating over 32.5 million yuan ($4.53 million) in income for people nearby, local tourism and cultural authorities said.

In another development, drifting through Tuolong Gorge in Pingjiang county of Yueyang, Hunan, has become one of the mountainous self-guided canyon drifts with the largest drop in China, spanning five km in total with a staggering total drop of 299 meters.

The largest single drop at the drifting site is 19 meters, with the longest slide of 120 meters, earning it the title of a "water roller-coaster "in Hunan.

"Starting from July, the number of visitors has been rapidly increasing," said Yu Qian, general manager of Tuolong Gorge Drift.

On weekdays, the drifting site receives over 3,000 visitors on average, with weekends exceeding 5,000, showing a significant growth compared to the same period last year, according to Yu.

Visitors to the scenic spot are typically aged between 20 and 35, and show a high preference for stimulating experiential activities and a willingness to open their wallets, Yu said, adding: "With the rise of the trend of leisure outdoor activities, drifting has become a popular summer essential event among young tourists."

To ensure the safety of visitors, the scenic area has strengthened various aspects of management such as drifting equipment, operational procedures and signage along the drifting route.

Visitors are reminded not to venture off the main waterway to avoid potential dangers. "During drifting, it is essential to wear life jackets, helmets, follow instructions and ensure personal safety," said Yu, adding that visitors are also advised to pay attention to weather conditions and plan their trips during off-peak times.

Compared to the extreme drifting experience at the Tuolong Gorge site, a different drifting style — the so-called "comfortable lying drift" — has also become very popular in Hunan.

At the Longxi Grand Canyon scenic area, a newly opened drifting site in Liuyang — a county-level city in Hunan — the current is relatively gentle, allowing visitors to leisurely lie on watercraft and drift downstream after putting on life jackets.

"We do not emphasize speed and excitement here. Instead, it's all about going with the gentle water flow," said Li Liang, the person in charge of the Longxi Grand Canyon scenic area.

The gentle drifting experience allows visitors to enjoy the scenery along the river while escaping the summer heat, Li said.

Located in Chunkou town, Liuyang, the Longxi Grand Canyon site has attracted a growing number of families and tour groups, receiving over 1,500 visitors on average per day since its opening early this year.

The scenic area has also created other activities, covering various formats such as water parks, amusement areas, markets, parent-child drifting and self-service BBQ, providing a one-stop solution to meet visitors' needs for dining, drinking, playing and having fun.

"It's perfect for a family vacation, as children have a great time drifting, adults can relax and enjoy the scenery and we can also have a barbecue picnic together," said a visitor surnamed Liu from Zhuzhou, neighboring Liuyang.

Behind the continuous growth of the drifting projects, various areas in Hunan have made efforts to transform cooling and refreshing water resources into hot tourism assets by actively exploring their natural resources and upgrading service systems.

Not only has Hunan's drifting season entered its peak, but other places have witnessed an increasing number of visitors coming to enjoy drifting across the country.

On the opening day of Taohuayuan drifting in Hangzhou, capital of Zhejiang province, in early July, more than 600 tourists flocked to the scenic site.

In just a month and a half since the opening of Shenyao drifting in Pinghe county, Fujian province, the site has attracted over 14,000 visitors, with online ticket sales reaching 2.83 million yuan, surpassing the same period last year.

According to data from Qichacha, a Chinese business information platform, there are 3,745 companies related to drifting across the country, mainly concentrated in eastern, central, southern and southwestern regions.

Among them, there are 277 drifting-related companies in Hunan, ranking second nationwide, just behind Guangdong province, an economic powerhouse in South China.

Within Hunan, companies related to the drifting industry are mainly located in Changsha, Zhangjiajie, Shaoyang and Yueyang, accounting for 25.63 percent, 13 percent, 8.66 percent and 8.66 percent, respectively.

The number of drifting companies in Hunan has continued growing since early this year. In terms of registration numbers, a total of 10 new drifting-related companies were registered in Hunan in 2024, an increase of four from the previous year.

As of July this year, eight more companies have already been registered in Hunan, according to data from Qichacha.

The popularity of river drifting resources has not only attracted domestic visitors, but also foreign tourists.

In Qingyuan, Guangdong province — dubbed the "hometown of drifting" for its abundant river water resources — an increasing number of foreign tourists have also spent their summer vacations in the city's scenic drifting areas.

During an international drifting competition held in late May at Gulongxia scenic spot in Qingyuan, athletes from 80 teams representing China, Russia, Brazil, Ukraine and Belarus took part in the event.

The event marked the opening of the city's drifting cultural tourism season, which runs until August. The season helps promote the coordinated development of local sports, tourism and cultural industries, according to the event's organizers.

During the event, scenic drifting spots across the city have jointly launched a series of drifting-themed activities and promotional measures.

"Tourists are no longer satisfied with superficial sightseeing experiences, but instead crave emotional resonance, cultural immersion and spiritual stimulation during their trips," said Xu Weiyue, co-founder of the Gulongxia scenic spot.

Gulongxia boasts the world's longest and highest natural river basin drifting track. The newly upgraded river track incorporates scenes sporting Amazon River elements.

"We hope to continuously introduce new elements to enrich the drifting industry, exploring more possibilities of cross-disciplinary integrations to offer visitors a more diverse and engaging experience," said Xu.

In the first quarter, the number of tourists and tourism revenue in Qingyuan increased by 12.98 percent and 16.46 percent, respectively. Qingyuan's drifting scenic spots received 183,000 tourists during the May Day holiday, marking a 300 percent year-on-year increase, according to local cultural and tourism authorities.