A celebration event of China Tourism Day, promoting Shinan district's cultural and tourism resources, is held in a cruise ship on May 17. [Photo/dzwww.com]

Shinan district in Qingdao, East China's Shandong province, started a celebration of China Tourism Day on May 17, with the aim of promoting its cultural and tourism resources.

More than 100 representatives from characteristic cultural and tourist facilities, A-rated scenic spots, museums, travel agencies and hotels were invited to attend the event.

Held in a cruise ship, named "Star of Qingdao", the event was designed to enable attendees to experience marine tourism products, build closer ties between upstream and downstream firms in the tourism industrial chain, increase the exposure of Shinan's characteristic resources, develop tourism products with local characteristics, and facilitate Shinan’s tourism development.

Sun Jing, the head of Shinan Culture and Tourism Bureau, gave an introduction to the district's latest and characteristic cultural and tourism resources, provided travel guides for tourists and workers in the tourism industry, and announced preferential policies, such as discount on tickets, offered by tourism firms for residents and tourists during the China Tourism Day.

Resource holders and buyers also had opportunities to share experiences and negotiate business deals face to face.

Attendees of the event read at travel guides which show Shinan's latest and characteristic cultural and tourism resources. [Photo/dzwww.com]

By virtue of the event, more companies are expected to join hands to promote Shinan's culture and tourism industry development, and to create better and more customized tourism products to satisfy the diverse needs of visitors.

Shinan district has insisted on developing all-for-one tourism, continued to  improve tourism products, and focused on building a tourism industry with local characteristics in recent years.

It is home to 26 star-rated hotels, including five five-star ones such as the Westin Qingdao, showing its strong capacity to hold high-end conventions and receive tourists.

It also has over 40 museums, art galleries, bookstores and other cultural facilities, which help to attract people on academic trips.

Moreover, hundreds of well-known shops and brands, high-end commercial complexes such as Hisense Plaza, and about 3,510 creative cultural companies are located in the district. Shinan also holds regular tourism festivals, fashion forums and events, and cultural and art performances.

Shinan will continue to use its industrial advantages, integrate local resources such as star-rated hotels, A-rated scenic spots and travel agencies, and build a local cultural and tourist resources database, so as to develop into a world-class tourist destination and a high-end international conference venue.

Attendees of the event are reading at travel guides which show Shinan's latest and characteristic cultural and tourism resources. [Photo/dzwww.com]