Yichang starts building AI-driven “Yangtze Fantasy City”
2025-12-05 22:12:36
By Chen Zai
Hubei Cultural and Tourism Group launched construction of the “Yangtze River Fantasy City” in Dianjun District on November 30, aiming to create a national digital cultural platform that integrates Yangtze River heritage with e-sports, anime and AI/VR technologies by 2028.
Hubei Cultural and Tourism Group launched construction of the “Yangtze River Fantasy City” in Dianjun District on November 30, aiming to create a national digital cultural platform that integrates Yangtze River heritage with e-sports, anime and AI/VR technologies by 2028.
Rendered aerial view of the "Yangtze River Fantasy City" project
Anchored in Yangtze River culture and ecological themes, the project is organized around “one cultural vein, three major regions, and nine themed zones.”
Visitors will move through story-driven spaces that combine holographic theatre, VR/AR attractions, real-time AI interaction, e-sports venues and anime exhibitions. Planners say the integrated model is intended to build a “world-class cultural-tourism landmark.”
The project has been included in Yichang’s 2025 development strategy as a flagship initiative, reflecting the city’s push to attract higher-spending digital-native travelers and to extend visitor stays beyond the traditional Three Gorges cruise stop.
