Integrated model gets set to lure tourists in increasing numbers

Updated: Jun 10, 2018 By ZHANG DANDAN China Daily Print

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The Qingdao West Coast New Area, already endowed with plentiful tourism resources, is seeking new opportunities to further develop the key industry.

"In the past few years, tourism in the new area has had sound development. It benefits from not only natural tourism resources, but also the efforts made by the authorities in the new area," said Yan Yachao, deputy secretary of Party Leadership Group of the Tourism Development Committee of Qingdao West Coast New Area.

The national-level new area sits on the shores of the Yellow Sea, features 5,000 square kilometers of sea area, and has 23 bays and 21 natural islands.

It is home to the national-level Phoenix Island Tourism Resort, which has beautiful beaches and islands, as well as a shell museum, the Anlan Academy and the Golden Beach Beer City.

Yan said the Golden Beach Beer City is well equipped with recreational facilities and attracts many visitors every year.

"Since 2015, it (Golden Beach Beer City) has been the main venue for the world-renowned Qingdao International Beer Festival－a business card for tourism in Qingdao, which is scheduled to be held in late July this year," Yan said.

He added that since its moving into the Qingdao West Coast New Area, the Qingdao International Beer Festival has begun a new chapter, operating in a larger space with better facilities.

"The beer festival lures tourists worldwide to learn about and visit the new area. It's a mutually beneficial cooperation," Yan said.

Furthermore, Qingdao West Coast New Area has introduced a batch of tourism projects valued at 10 billion yuan ($1.6 billion), comprising of the Qingdao Oriental Movie Metropolis, Qingdao World Expo City and Cangma Mountain International Holiday Resort.

"Each tourism project has its own specialty, focusing on different fields and differentiated development," Yan said.

The new area endeavors to enhance the overall tourism environment and standards. It has 23 starred hotels and an array of famous brands like Hilton, Wyndham Grand and Sheraton, offering over 20,000 guest rooms, according to Yan.

In 2017, Qingdao West Coast New Area received 22.1 million tourists, who generated revenue of 21.8 billion yuan, up by 10 percent and 20 percent respectively from the previous year, according to the Tourism Development Committee of the new area.

"We are striving to attract 30 million tourists a year by 2020. The tourism revenue is expected to account for 7 percent of the new area's GDP," Yan said.

To achieve the target, Qingdao West Coast New Area has unveiled its strategic plans.

Among them is integrated development, which refers to integrating tourism with other industries such as agriculture, sports and culture, to appeal to a larger number of people and create a broader platform for development.

Integrating tourism with agriculture is a particular highlight. The new area has created over 300 agricultural parks, featuring sightseeing, fruit picking, rural leisure and folk culture experiences.

A green tourism industrial belt has also taken shape in the Qingdao West Coast New Area, which has not only boosted tourism, but also made great contributions in terms of revitalizing rural areas and targeted poverty alleviation, according to local officials.