Shandong Culture and Tourism Consumption Season a hit

The fifth Shandong Culture and Tourism Consumption Season, which kicked off on April 10, has brought tangible benefits to consumers, as well as achieved significant social and economic benefits, local media reported.

By the end of July, the province had issued more than 85.74 million yuan ($13.27 million) worth of cultural and tourism vouchers, directly driving consumption worth 394 million yuan. The province's 16 cities issued 63.95 million yuan worth of coupons, directly driving consumption worth 254 million yuan.

The coupons can be used to buy a wide range of products and services via both online and offline channels, including tickets for art and cultural performances, tickets to scenic spots, cultural and creative products, as well as tourist route tickets.

The Shandong Provincial Department of Culture and Tourism has also teamed with financial institutions like China UnionPay and the Industrial and Commercial Bank of China to give greater play to the guiding role of government funds.

More than 6,100 cultural and tourism consumption-themed events, as well as 69,000 activities have been carried out across the province, indirectly driving consumption worth 3 billion yuan.

More than 330,000 cultural and tourism products were promoted during the festival, engaging 12,368 cultural and tourism enterprises.

A series of themed activities, covering healthcare, intangible cultural heritage items, red tourism, night tours, the Communist Party of China centenary celebration, Shandong time-honored brands, and creative designs, were held for months to attract more participants.

Cultural venues, scenic spots, as well as cultural and tourism enterprises in the province have also launched promotions during the consumption season to attract more engagement.

The annual event has taken full advantage of the role of cultural and tourism consumption in leading industrial transformation and upgrading, as well as promoted the recovery of the cultural and tourism sector, which was hard-hit by the COVID-19 pandemic, said Shandong authorities.