Choosing Yuyuan Garden as the first site for this experiment was no coincidence. This historic landmark, highly frequented by international visitors, becomes a living laboratory to test and refine the system before rolling it out nationwide. During the inauguration, several foreign tourists interacted with the screen, testing its ability to guide tours, provide contextual translations, and process payments with international cards, experiencing its functions firsthand.
This project is part of a broader strategy: to make the country a more accessible, intelligent, and welcoming destination for international travelers. Until now, one of the main obstacles for tourists had been the language barrier, differences in payment systems, or the lack of clear information when visiting markets, historic streets, or cultural centers where digital services were limited. With this screen, such friction is reduced: visitors can better understand local cultural products, make their own decisions, and pay with the convenience they would expect back home.
In addition, its modular design will allow new features to be incorporated based on usage and user feedback. For example, reservation services (restaurants, shows), personalized recommendations depending on visitor interests, or integration with social networks so travelers can instantly share their experience. As it expands to other cities and iconic sites across the country, the system could also collect aggregated tourism consumption data (while respecting privacy), enabling authorities and merchants to adjust offers, schedules, and services more effectively.
Although the initial focus is on the “interest → purchase” journey, the project’s promoters anticipate that the technology will be key in strengthening cultural promotion. In the long term, travelers will be able to discover not only physical products but also immersive experiences (workshops, performances, themed routes) directly through the screen, with integrated booking and payment. This will strengthen the link between cultural offerings and international demand, removing logistical barriers.
On the global stage, many cities have invested in digital tourism, but few offer an all-in-one system that combines interpretation, shopping guidance, and international payments without manual intervention. “Meet China” aims to fill that gap. The success of the Yuyuan pilot will serve as a model: if results are positive—measured by usage rates, sales generated, and visitor satisfaction—its rollout will accelerate to other historic gardens, cultural districts, traditional shopping areas, and high-traffic tourist spots.
For local merchants, this initiative also has direct benefits. By integrating into this digital network, they gain access to a better-informed international audience, more inclined to buy. The screen acts as a showcase, translator, and sales assistant with payment processing: an automatic storefront that works even when the shop is closed or lacks multilingual staff. This visibility could translate into real sales growth and a greater diversity of international customers.
Ultimately, this is not technology for technology’s sake: it reflects a vision of the future. Testing it in Shanghai—a city that bridges China and the world—is symbolic. Visitors who experience this tool will shape the future of digital tourism, which aims to expand nationwide. With “Meet China,” every foreign traveler now has a digital gateway to cultural heritage, local commerce, and the Chinese experience, without language barriers or payment hurdles.
In a world where the physical and digital converge, this project could redefine how cultural tourism is experienced in China: fewer obstacles, more autonomy, smoother interactions, and stronger connections between visitors and destinations. If the Yuyuan screen meets expectations, it won’t be long before it lights up in many other Chinese cities, guiding travelers seamlessly from curiosity to purchase with the same efficiency they are used to at home.
