China's first cantilever Ferris wheel to open next month

A cantilever Ferris wheel is under construction on the Joy City II stage in Jing'an district, Shanghai on Oct 18, 2015. [Photo/IC]

A cantilever Ferris wheel in Shanghai, unique in China, will formally open next Valentine's Day after a trial run on Dec 19 with the objective of becoming the city's landmark of love, similar to the Tokyo Tower, thepaper.cn reported on Wednesday.

The Ferris wheel, on the roof of Joy City II in Jing'an district, has a 50-meter-long loudspeaker on one side to help couples express their love to each other, as well as 30 white compartments accommodating at most four people each, providing a 360-degree panoramic view of the Suzhou River.

Joy City has also launched an app, Emotions Cloud, to help couples express their love.

"Using the app, customers can book tickets for the Ferris wheel, enjoy a customized Valentine's set and spread their message to loved ones through the loudspeaker at the top of the wheel", said Wei Jianping, deputy-general manager of Joy City Mall in Shanghai.

Customers can adjust the lighting in their compartments to take photos or enjoy a romantic ambience, an insider from Joy City said.

After its "soft" opening to VIP members, Joy City will undertake improvements, based on feedback from the VIPs, and formally open on Feb 14.

The attraction is estimated to attract 5 million visitors a year, and some travel agencies have negotiated reserving tickets with Joy City, according to Shanghai Business Daily.

Experts have expressed concerns about the wheel's viability however, given the mainly unsuccessful mass construction of Ferris wheels in other countries.

Chinese visitors to Berlin or Las Vegas seldom use local Ferris wheels, said Hu Jiaqi, a senior product manager of Europe and US travel in Shanghai, because "every city has its feature, as travelers in Las Vegas will prioritize casinos rather than Ferris wheels."

"Building a landmark to generate tourism revenue is understandable, but it's more preferable to build a scenic spot conforming with local urban culture than a higher skyscraper or Ferris wheel", said Liu Deyan, a tourism expert with Shanghai Normal University.