A new Chinese communications test satellite blasted into space on Wednesday from the Wenchang Spacecraft Launch Site in Hainan province, thrilling a group of European travelers who witnessed the launch as part of an immersive tour of the tropical island.

The satellite launched aboard a modified Long March 7 carrier rocket at 12:16 am and entered its preset orbit.

The launch wowed UK social media influencer John Michael Chapman. "I am a 48-year-old man, and I feel like a little boy at the moment," he said. "My sons, everyone's sons and daughters, we dream of space travel. It's this magical thing."

French blogger Jean-Bernard Corazzi said it was his first time witnessing a launch. "I think it's a good idea to link the two, spacecraft and tourism," he said.

The eight-day Nihao China: European Travel Media and Influencers' Hainan Tour, which began Monday in the provincial capital Haikou, brings together 24 travel journalists and social media influencers from Italy, Spain, the United Kingdom, France, Germany, and Switzerland.

On Tuesday, the group played golf at Mission Hills Resort Haikou, a complex built on volcanic rock.

"I liked the golf experience, because I could start again where I was setting up in Germany at the driving range," said Hans Diddo Walter Wilhelm Ramm, a German magazine editor. "The environment was pretty impressive with the volcano. The 18-hole area is just extremely beautiful."

At Monday's Hainan Night promotional event, Canadian social media influencer Jan Kerekes, who has lived in Hainan for seven years, said the island's natural beauty convinced him to stay. He loves backpacking, cycling, and connecting with locals to soak up their warmth and hospitality. Despite challenges in starting a local business, he called the journey rewarding.

"Whether you're meeting new friends or reconnecting with old ones, you'll find the true heart of Hainan," Kerekes said.