“Involution” in Tourism? These Kunming Hotspots Are ‘Involuting’ Relentlessly
What was the hottest internet buzzword of 2021?
I think it was “involution.”
To put it simply, involution is healthy competition.
Involution has spread from life, study, and work into various industries.
Large-scale involution has also appeared in tourist attractions.
The only difference is that in tourism, involution means competing with yourself.
These major scenic spots in Kunming have jumped on the involution bandwagon!
They’re not only competing with their peers but also with themselves.
Let’s take a quick look at how they compete with themselves.
Kunming Xiyoudong’s “involution”
Before the term even existed, it had already started “involuting.”
By the time the word became a sensation in 2021,
Kunming Xiyoudong was already way ahead on the path of involution, leaving other attractions in the dust.
Few scenic spots can catch up with it.
Xiyoudong’s involution mainly manifests in its fanaticism for popular attractions.
Starting with the first glass project – the 5D Glass Bridge,
the second glass project – the Glass Jungle Rapids,
the third project – the Cliff Swing,
the fourth project – the Macaque Garden,
the fifth project – the Glass Jungle Slide,
the sixth project – the Mountain Off-road Adventure,
plus all the small projects from before,
like the first internet-famous attraction – the Swaying Bridge,
water tightrope, water stilts, jungle zipline, musical shouting fountain,
with dozens of projects big and small,
completely reshaped people’s impression of Xiyoudong.
In just two or three years, Xiyoudong achieved a major overhaul that it hadn’t done in the previous decade.
A new project every six months or a year;
if it’s popular and novel, they make sure to install it at the earliest opportunity.
This speed, this efficiency –
I just want to say: give yourself a break!
Involuting so fast and so efficiently,
even many visitors can’t keep up!
Yuantongshan Zoo may have been primarily about animals,
but that was before.
With the annual Cherry Blossom Festival,
cherry blossoms seem to have become the label of Yuantongshan Park.
In fact, after years of continuous development,
Yuantongshan Park has transformed from a zoo focused on animals
into a comprehensive park in downtown Kunming.
At the same time, it’s the park with the most diverse attractions and the highest visitor numbers in the city.
Don’t think Yuantongshan Park only has cherry blossoms and animals.
After years of “involution,”
it now boasts flowers, lakes, animals, and an ancient temple – everything you could ask for.
In spring, enjoy the flowers and a spring outing;
watch the cherry blossoms dance like fairies;
play by the lake and soak up the spring atmosphere;
visit the ancient temple to uncover its secrets;
head to the zoo to see Xishuangbanna wild bison, Mengla tigers,
giant pandas, red-crowned cranes, and more.
Kunming Sunac Cultural Tourism City
As a new leisure destination in Kunming that has risen to prominence in the last two to three years,
Kunming Sunac Cultural Tourism City not only involutes with itself but also with its peers.
The variety of attractions is truly eye-catching.
Snow World and Ocean World alone account for 90% of the projects in the city.
Snow World is an ice and snow castle
where you can fully enjoy the joys of snow and ice,
admire exquisitely shaped ice sculptures of cartoon characters and animals,
and then, of course, you can “play with snow” –
tobogganing, ice bumper cars, tube slides…
Ocean World is the biggest highlight of Kunming Sunac Cultural Tourism City.
It houses a variety of deep-sea creatures both large and mini,
along with common marine life, all gathered here!
After seeing these three scenic spots, I just want to say:
they’ve really taken involution to heart.
Not only do they compete with rivals, they compete even more with themselves.
The more they involute, the more fun we get to have.
That’s not a bad thing!
Text & Layout: Yue Yunnan·Feng Li
Photos: Xiyoudong/Internet, if copyright infringement, please contact for deletion.
Note: If reposting this article, please credit the source.
