Reboot of Dayong Ancient City tests if China’s loss-making tourism projects can be revived

In mid-July, Dayong Ancient City – a state-backed replica town in China’s mountain tourist hub of Zhangjiajie – reopened its gates after a major overhaul, drawing more than 150,000 visitors in its first three days, according to official figures. That marked a stark contrast to the site’s recent past. Built to showcase architectural styles from the Ming and Qing dynasties, the site in the central Chinese province of Hunan was, until recently, little more than a ghost town, struggling amid years..