Safety regulatory gap exists for scenic areas introducing industrial robotic arms for passenger-carrying amusement rides

On October 20, 2026, China Tourism News reported that some scenic areas and theme parks have converted industrial robotic arms into passenger-carrying amusement rides, travel photography shooting and high-altitude performance equipment. The report states that such cultural-tourism-oriented conversions bring four categories of safety risks: the equipment itself, environmental adaptation, personnel operation and management standards; the current Special Equipment Catalogue does not yet include a standalone category for robotic arms, and cultural-tourism-oriented conversions lack dedicated inspection standards and a cross-departmental regulatory basis. The report recommends improving standards supply, tightening operators' primary responsibility, strengthening certified training for personnel, and clarifying the responsibilities of market regulation, culture and tourism, emergency management and other departments. The report does not mention specific scenic area names, the number of devices involved, or any accidents that have occurred; the matter remains at the level of risk warnings and regulatory recommendations.