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Visitors to the Zhangjiajie Grand Canyon Glass Bridge can take a
leap from a height of 260 meters, a stomach-churning way to take
in the views of the surrounding Wulingyuan wilderness, a UNSECO
World Heritage site.
The area, a popular international tourist attraction, is famous
for its quartzite sandstone pillars and peaks extending into the
clouds, along with deep ravines and gorges.
The bungy jumping operation opened at the end of 2020, delayed
by restrictions imposed by the Chinese government because of the
coronavirus pandemic, which included some of the world's
toughest border restrictions.
Operator Jonni Deaker said business had been building slowly as
domestic tourists began to return to the region.
"We are probably averaging twenty jumps a day at the moment,
which is pretty good for a jump this size," Deaker said, adding
he was confident of a solid July-August holiday season.
To compensate for the lack of foreign tourists, the cost of a
jump has been cut by around 40% to RMB 1998 (roughly US$306).
The pedestrian bridge, designed by Israeli architect Haim Dotan
and opened in August 2016, was once the longest glass-bottomed
suspension bridge in the world.
Jumping into the abyss below might be terrifying for some, but
Deaker believes the sheer height makes it less intimidating than
smaller jumps.
"Because it's so high, it actually makes it easier", Deaker
said. "When you're this high, it's kind of like skydiving."
(Reporting By Mark Chisholm; editing by Jane Wardell)
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