China’s Communist Party is developing destinations that celebrate events from the country’s history in what is dubbed as ‘red tourism’

Malan, once the top-secret base where China’s first atomic bomb was developed, is soon to be thrown open to tourists. Located in the remote Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region of northwest China, the now deserted base preserves the dorms and laboratories that were used by the country’s nuclear scientists as they worked to build the bomb which was eventually detonated on October 16, 1964, at a site in the desert close to the base. Tourists will also be able to see the 300-metre anti-air strike tunnel.

The local government plans to invest 6 million Yuan ($960,000) and with the help of Tsinghua University in Beijing, transform the deserted base into a ‘red tourism’ site. Red tourism refers to the recent trend of promoting sites that were significant to the rise of communism in China, like Chairman Mao’s cave hideout near Yan’an, which draws hordes of domestic tourists. Although the number of visitors to such historic sites is on the rise, the success of this unusual attraction is not guaranteed, chiefly due to its remote location. “Former military bases can attract tourists because they used to be secret, but not all of the bases will make money unless more attractions are developed and the supporting services are improved,” said Wang Guohua, a tourism expert at Beijing University of Technology.

The most important issue with the development of the site will be to ensure that base is absolutely radiation-free. “The management committee should do modification works to guarantee that there is no nuclear radiation nearby,” he added.