The province of Shandong has made significant progress in advancing the integrated development of the cultural and tourism industries over the 13th Five-Year Plan period (2016-20), according to a news conference held on March 2 by the Information Office of Shandong Provincial People's Government.

Jinan, capital of Shandong province, boasts a vibrant nighttime economy. [Photo/IC]

Official statistics show that the province's 2,440 cultural enterprises above designated size achieved an operating income of 483.39 billion yuan ($74.73 billion) in 2020, a year-on-year increase of 7.8 percent and 5.6 percentage points higher than the national level.

Over the past year, Shandong has implemented a slew of supportive measures and policies to boost the recovery of the local cultural and tourism markets, which were hit hard by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Tourists made 577 million trips to Shandong last year, generating a tourism revenue of about 601.97 billion yuan, a 54.3 percent rise from 2019.

Qingzhou ancient town in Shandong during the 2021 Spring Festival holiday period [Photo/IC]

Over the past five years, the province has hosted a series of large-scale activities, including the China (Qufu) International Confucius Culture Festival, the Nishan Forum on World Civilizations, the China Intangible Cultural Heritage Expo, the Shandong Tourism Development Conference, and the China International Culture and Tourism Expo. These events have unleashed the cultural and tourism consumption potential and better promoted Shandong's culture to the world, said local officials.

The province has launched a series of fine works of literature and art, including the national opera Yimeng Mountain and the modern drama Confucius, which have been honored with numerous awards and favorable reviews.

Tourists participate in snow sports at a resort in Yantai, Shandong province. [Photo/IC]

Shandong has been ramping up efforts to deepen supply-side reform in cultural and tourism industries, taking measures to develop more diverse cultural and tourism products and improve visitor experiences.

The province is presently home to 1,227 A-level scenic spots, the most in China. Among these spots, 13 are 5A-level scenic spots and four are national tourist vacation areas.

Eight counties (cities, districts) in Shandong have been selected as national demonstration zones for "all-for-one tourism", the most in the country.

"All-for-one" tourism focuses on the upgrading and integration of tourism and cultural resources, public services, and other industries to boost economic development.

Shandong province has the highest number of museums, non-State-owned museums and revolutionary museums in China, said local officials.

Taierzhuang ancient town in Zaozhuang, Shandong province [Photo/IC]