China Tourism Day event kicks off in Tai'an

The 2023 "China Tourism Day" Shandong sub-event kicked off in Tai'an on May 19 and featured a variety of tourism products as well as 29 cultural tourism activities.

Authorities also launched 42 favorable measures to boost consumption during the event, which saw the Shandong Provincial Department of Cultural and Tourism introduce five major products themed "Friendly Shandong, Happy Journey".

Tai'an then launched three tours themed on scientific research, self-driving and ecological environment, and promoted its tourism resources like the profound cultures of Mount Tai, intangible cultural heritage (ICH) projects and its natural landscapes.

A special exhibition was set up at the launch ceremony to display local ICH specialties, high-quality gifts and food. A feast featuring four dishes, four side dishes and nine main courses made using Taishan tofu was one of the highlights during the exhibition.

There were also five ICH items on display: stone carvings, paper-cutting, clay sculpture, Dawenkou lace technique and the art of guqin, an ancient stringed instrument.

Tai'an, which is listed as a model city for cultural tourism integration in China, has in recent years been focusing on enhancing cultural tourism, promoting cultural values and building high-quality development zones for Mount Tai culture.

In the first quarter of this year, Tai'an received 13.95 million domestic tourists, a year-on-year increase of 28.75 percent, while its tourism revenue hit 12.53 billion yuan ($1.78 billion), up 28.4 percent year-on-year.

Booths displaying local ICH specialties and food at the launch ceremony of the 2023 "China Tourism Day" Shandong sub-event in Tai'an. [Photo/WeChat account: SDTXTA]