Overview
- A new glass elevator called Fuyao began operating in the Gran Cañón de Nizhuhe and is integrated with the older Qingyun lift and a cable car to replace a hazardous multi‑hour trek up the canyon.
- Operators say the Fuyao climbs a 288‑metre cliff in about 50 seconds, can carry up to 81 passengers per trip and reaches speeds reported at roughly 5 metres per second.
- Local authorities and the operator have set the lifts and the cable car to be free for residents and to reserve dedicated access during school hours for pupils.
- The vertical transport circuit has already driven a rise in visitors to the canyon and spurred new local businesses, with reporting that the area saw more than 1 million visitors after the earlier Qingyun lift and a large jump in household disposable income.
- The change has shortened daily school journeys from dangerous, narrow mountain paths to roughly 30 minutes for pupils and created new local jobs, while officials and developers will need to manage growing tourist flows and ongoing safety and maintenance needs.