Wealthy Chinese have been flooding markets beyond China's shores, helping spur tourism in places from Paris to Tokyo.

中国富人的旅游目的地早已遍及海外，从巴黎到东京的各地旅游业由此得到提振。

Now they may be a new boon for the nascent space tourism industry.

现在，他们又把目光放到了尚处于新生阶段的太空旅游上。

China's largest e-commerce website, Taobao, recently began selling trips to space in partnership with the Amsterdam-based Space Expedition Corporation (SXC). Since SXC started advertising in China last year, the company says it has attracted interest from dozens of Chinese customers who've signed up to buy tickets to space. It was unclear how many customers had booked their seats via Taobao.

中国最大的电商网站淘宝网最近开始与总部位于阿姆斯特丹的太空探险公司(Space Expedition Corporation)合作销售太空旅行。太空探险公司称，自去年开始在中国推广太空旅行业务以来，该公司已经吸引到几十名中国客户的兴趣，他们已经注册购买太空旅行票。目前尚不清楚有多少客户已经通过淘宝网预订了座位。

SXC is offering China's nouveau riche tours that surpass an altitude of 100 kilometers, a height that's commonly seen as demarcating the Earth's atmosphere and outer space. The price is a comparatively low $100,000, less than half the price offered by SXC's main competitor, Sir Richard Branson of Virgin Airlines, whose Virgin Galatic is also offering space expeditions.

太空探险公司提供的太空旅行的高度超过100千米，这一高度被普遍认为是地球大气层和外太空的分界。太空探险公司提供的太空旅行的价格为10万美元，相对较低，不及主要对手维珍航空(Virgin Airlines)的布兰森爵士(Sir Richard Branson)提供的价格的一半。布兰森爵士的Virgin Galatic也提供太空探索旅行。

Following the footstep of American millionaire Dennis Tito, who made the world's first private trip to space in 2001 , over 30 Chinese customers have put down deposits according to Wang Luye, vice president at Hangzhou-based Dexo Travel, SXC's mainland China business partner, which promotes adventurous travel for the wealthy.

据探索旅行(Dexo Travel)的副总裁王陆叶称，在2001年美国百万富翁蒂托(Dennis Tito)进行了全球首次私人太空旅行后，已经有超过30名中国客户预付了订金，试图追随他的脚步。探索旅行总部位于杭州，是太空探险公司大陆商业伙伴，主要业务是向富人推销探险旅行。

'Mainland travelers have shown incredible enthusiasm for the North and South Pole trips we organized before, so we are confident that those wealthy adventurers will be interested in conquering space,' said Ms. Wang.

王陆叶说，大陆游客对于我们之前组织的南极、北极极地游已经展现出了相当大的热情，因此我们相信，这些腰缠万贯的冒险家们一定有兴趣征服太空。

The first space tour with Chinese passengers is expected to depart next year, she said.

她说，预计中国游客的首个太空游将于明年启航。

Fancier packages are also available for double the price, which includes more luxurious accommodation, private transport to the launch, pre-flight training and a video record of the trip.

“优先计划”的价格高出一倍，提供更加豪华的住宿条件、私人飞机包机往返太空港、飞行前培训课程、全程影像记录等等。

In response to a request for comment, Deng Weixian, SXC Asia Pacific chief executive, said that Chinese consumers have a high appetite for 'challenging' tourism activities, adding that he believes space is becoming a new destination for such travelers.

太空探险公司亚太地区行政总裁邓伟贤回应记者的置评请求时指出，中国的客户相当喜欢具有挑战性的旅游活动，他坚信广袤的太空将成为这些游客的新目的地。

SXC's Asian branch, meanwhile, said the company believed mainland China would be among the its most important markets. Their goal, they said, is to promote 'affordable' space trip for common Chinese people, including through outlets such as websites like Taobao--which in addition to space travel has also sold fine art, including works by Picasso and Salvador Dali.

与此同时，太空探险公司亚洲分公司预计，中国大陆将成为其最重要的市场之一。他们称，公司的目标是通过各个销售点（例如淘宝之类的网站），为普通中国民众打造负担得起的太空游。除了太空游之外，该公司还经营出售毕加索(Picasso)、达利(Salvador Dali)等著名画家的画作。