The eastern coastal city of Qingdao, Shandong province proved to be a magnet for tourists during the week-long Spring Festival holiday, recording about 3.09 million tourist visits over the period.

According to data from the Qingdao municipal bureau of culture and tourism, the city's tourism revenue totaled 3.32 billion yuan ($514.6 million) during the holiday from Feb 11 to Feb 17.

People enjoy a lion dance performance during the Spring Festival holiday in Qingdao. [Photo/guanhai.com.cn]

This year, a large number of people chose to celebrate the holiday in nearby hotels and local tourist attractions in response to a call by the government to stay put during the Spring Festival to reduce the risk of spreading COVID-19.

Qingdao has launched a series of promotions and activities to help the public enjoy the holiday. Helpful information, Spring Festival travel routes, New Year celebrations, coupons for package tours, and discounted admission to scenic spots were promoted in a number of ways.

People take part in New Year celebrations in Qingdao. [Photo/guanhai.com.cn]

In addition, over 100 cultural venues in the city launched online services, including cloud theaters, live folk art shows, and online lectures.

Local box office earnings during the week-long holiday showed a strong recovery. From Feb 11 to 2:00 pm on Feb 17, the city's 77 cinemas received over 1.4 million visitors, generating more than 77 million yuan at the box office, up 30 percent from the 2019 Spring Festival.

The city has also implemented a series of epidemic prevention and control measures. It has called on its scenic spots to limit the number of tourists to 75 percent of maximum capacity during the holiday and has encouraged people to book in advance and travel during off-peak hours to mitigate the risk of infection.

The Qingdao West Coast New Area boasts a festive atmosphere. [Photo/WeChat account: qdxihaianfabu]