Qingdao plans to host 253 themed activities during winter season to boost consumption and stimulate the cultural tourism market. [Photo/WeChat account: qdrbwlzx]

To boost consumption and stimulate the cultural tourism market, the ongoing 2024 Qingdao Urban and Rural Cultural Tourism Festival & Qingdao Winter Tour, which started in December and will run till February 2024, is hosting 253 themed activities and rolling out 85 preferential policies and 76 varieties of special delicacies.

Key activities include the Ocean Hot Spring Carnival that promotes hot spring products through new media platforms, the Joyful Ice and Snow Parade Season focusing on aspects such as culture and technology, the Commercial and Shopping New Year Goods Fair which will feature cultural and creative markets of intangible cultural heritage aesthetics, and the Sports Trend Lifestyle Festival.

Other events include the New Year's Eve celebration at the Qingdao Olympic Sailing Center, the launch of winter-specific tourism products and routes such as ice and snow hot springs, performances and activities highlighting culture and creativity, intangible cultural heritage, cuisine and calligraphy. Performances of traditional arts such as Lyuju Opera, Liuqiang Opera and Yangge — a type of Chinese folk dance — will also be staged.

During the winter tour, Qingdao will gather resources from scenic spots, hotels, cuisine, culture and transportation to create five major themes, 10 routes and 24 new options to propel local tourism.

The city will also bolster urban and rural tourism interaction and share the results of development through events such as cultural tourism mystery box giveaways, livestreaming promotions and public welfare activities.