Shandong province has been ramping up efforts to further stimulate the integrated development of culture and tourism, as well as promote the "Friendly Shandong" brand worldwide.

Shandong boasts a long history and rich culture and is well-known as the hometown of Confucius and Mencius. Neolithic cultures, such as the Dawenkou and Longshan, existed in the region between 4,000 and 8,500 years ago.

The province is endowed with diverse tourism resources. It is home to the majestic Mount Tai, Baotu Spring, Laoshan Mountain, Yimeng Mountain, Daming Lake and other famous historic and cultural sites.

The Sixth China Intangible Cultural Heritage Expo is held in Jinan, capital of Shandong province from Oct 23 to 27. [Photo/chinanews.com]

Cities in Shandong have tapped into local cultural and tourism resources to launch a number of distinctive, themed tourism products covering healthcare, urban sightseeing, study tours, rural tourism, red tourism and self-driving tours, in a bid to cater to the different demands of visitors.

Shandong is also promoting the development of cultural and tourism economy as a major economic driver. The cultural and tourism sector is growing quickly in Shandong because of strong government support and investment. 

Since 2017, the Shandong Culture and Tourism Consumption Season event has taken place every year with the aim of boosting cultural and tourism consumption.

A shopping festival highlighting cultural products is held in Jinan, capital of Shandong. [Photo/chinanews.com]

Consumption coupons worth about 455 million yuan ($69.11 million) have been distributed across the province to benefit more customers, generating a revenue of over 2.23 billion yuan.

Meanwhile, Shandong is promoting the application of new technologies in the culture and tourism sector to foster new business models.

Mobile payment, facial recognition, code scanning and landscape identification and other applications have been made available at the region's scenic spots and public cultural sites.

Big data, artificial intelligence, 5G and other cutting-edge technologies have been used to build smart scenic areas, hotels, museums, transportation and other facilities to offer greater convenience for visitors.

In 2018, the added value of Shandong's cultural industries reached 252.8 billion yuan, ranking fifth in China. In 2019, the number of cultural industry projects above designated scale in Shandong increased by 17.4 percent.

The province is also advancing cultural exchanges with foreign countries and regions through a series of activities as part of efforts to promote Shandong culture around the world.

The First China International Culture and Tourism Expo attracts many visitors on Sep 16 in Jinan, Shandong province. [Photo/chinanews.com]