A tourist is standing on the "Sky Mirror". Photo: web

 

The "Sky Mirror" scenic spot in Central China's Hunan Province issued an apology on Wednesday after tourists posted videos showing the promised "mind-blowing" mirror was actually just a giant piece of glass stained with footprints. 

In a notice issued by the Chenzhou scenic spot, it apologized for over-rendering the images of the place that had been posted online for publicity. 

The local culture and tourism bureau also responded to questions of whether the scenic spot had been guilty of false advertising and apologized for leaving tourists disappointed. 

The "Sky Mirror" has become a fashionable tourist attraction after many photographers posted pictures from it, in which the sky and its reflection made an attractive background for people to pose against. 

The pictures were also used in promotional articles, combined with captions such as "standing in the Sky Mirror", "walking on a cloud and hanging in the sky", and a "mind-blowing experience." 

However, the real "Sky Mirror" was found to be just a piece of normal glass stained with people's footprints that barely reflect anything, according to a video posted by a tourist on Pear Video.

"Look, this is the so-called Sky Mirror. The publicity is such an exaggeration," he complained in the video. 

Similar complaints have also been seen in "Sky Mirrors" in other cities. 

Another tourist in Southwest China's Chongqing Municipality also posted a video of the local "Sky Mirror", showing how different the actual place is from the one that the scenic spots promised in their promotion. 

The scenic spot claims that the site was built with huge investment and is the first of its kind in the country. 

The news has sparked criticism on China's social media, with netizens calling for a ban on attractions that use such false advertising. 

According to an industry insider, the "Sky Mirror" is nothing more than a catchy name used to attract tourists in promotional materials. The promotional company and the scenic spot get a 50-50 share of all the profits from ticket sales, Toutiao News reported. 

"Whether people can shoot a picture with the same effect as those displayed in the promotion all depends on their own skills of shooting and editing the pictures. It's not about the place itself," he said.