The last few years have been China’s golden age when it comes to glass-bottomed scenic walkways, however, that ambitious age may now be coming to an end.
Chinese media reports that “many” tourist spots across the country are now closing their glass walkways which were built “without sufficient care for safety and management.” There is no nationwide safety standards or supervision for these type of structures, so it’s left up to provincial authorities to ensure that people don’t die.
A total of 32 glass bridges and walkways have been closed in Hebei province over the past 18 months while six such sites in Guangdong have also received warnings.
It remains to be seen, however, if inspectors will be able to keep up with the rate of construction. Prior to the Golden Week holiday, we saw a flurry of glass-bottomed attractions opened up. It’s estimated that China is home to some 2,300 glass bridges.
The glass bridge fad really exploded back around 2015 in China and hasn’t slowed down much since, even after a newly-opened bridge on Henan’s Yuntai Mountain cracked.
Scenic spots have even stayed busy coming up with new and more daring transparent attractions. Back in June, one person was killed and six others injured after falling off a glass slide at a Guangxi tourist site.
