China Embraces Simulated Disaster Tourism for Preparedness

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China Embraces Simulated Disaster Tourism for Preparedness

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A new trend in experiential travel, often referred to as “dark tourism” or “grief tourism,” is gaining popularity in China, where individuals pay to experience simulated natural disasters and acquire survival skills. This surge in interest is partly driven by an increase in extreme weather events affecting the country.

One prominent example is the Lvxing Disaster Simulation Training Center in Hangzhou, eastern China, which opened in May 2025 and has since attracted over 160,000 participants. The center offers a range of simulations, including typhoon-force winds up to 165 km/h (103 mph), torrential rain, and flash floods. Participants, like 34-year-old Huang Zhen, pay a fee (around 1,599 yuan or $235 for a day) to brave these conditions in a controlled environment, equipped with wetsuits and helmets, and guided by safety instructors. The center also features scenarios mimicking urban flooding in underground car parks and mountain flooding with 900 metric tons of surging water.

The appeal lies in confronting a crisis safely while learning practical disaster response and rescue skills. This type of training helps raise awareness of disaster preparedness, especially as climate change contributes to more unpredictable weather patterns in China. China’s National Climate Center anticipated up to six typhoons in the Northwest Pacific and South China Sea in July 2026, exceeding the average of 3.8. There are plans to open five additional centers across China within the next three years, expanding simulations to include fires and earthquakes.

Beyond these new simulation centers, China has a history of dark tourism sites, including memorials for the Nanjing Massacre and earthquake museums in places like Beichuan and Wenchuan, which focus on remembrance and education. The increasing popularity of these experiences has sparked discussions about whether they effectively promote reflection or risk commodifying tragedy.

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