Buoyed by the 240-hour visa-free transit policy and the extension of China’s visa-free scheme, inbound tourism in Qingdao continues to boom since the start of March. Foreign tourists are drawn to explore Qingdao, a city where a variety of cultural experiences are available, including the Tsingtao Beer Museum, the international cruise home port and the historical urban area. They can take a city walk whenever they want, and try to gain first-hand impressions of Qingdao.

Many tourists from Japan and South Korea choose Qingdao as the first stop for “Travel China” because of mellow, refreshing, exhilarating and distinctive beer.  In the Tsingtao Beer Museum, Park Chang-won, a tourist from South Korea and his family members kept on singing praises about beer in Qingdao. “It is absolutely because of beer. Qingdao is very near. It took us about one hour and a half by plane from Incheon Airport. We will spend the three-day holiday in Qingdao. Next time we will go to Beijing or Shanghai.” said Park Chang-won.

After China's traditional tea-making was added to the intangible cultural heritage list of the UNESCO, Laoshan tea becomes known to foreign tourists, who enjoy combining culture with tourism. “I am a big fan of Laoshan tea. My bag is filled up with different sorts of tea.” Daniel Eugene from Canada, who is on a business trip in China, had a sightseeing tour in Qingdao on the weekend. He plans to take his wife and children to travel around Qingdao.

Chinese Kungfu is globally renowned. Martial arts in Qingdao are also captivating. About 500 tourists from Germany, Austria and Switzerland, who recently arrived in the Qingdao by “Europa 2” cruise ship with visa exemption, received a warm welcome. Sun Richeng, a representative inheritor of national level intangible cultural heritage, could hardly hide his excitement with the arrival of foreign “bosom friends”, and said, “I am more than glad to see Praying Mantis Boxing can facilitate international cultural exchange with its unique artistic value and traditional cultural connotation.”  (Ma Xiaoting)

Foreign tourists are enchanted with intangible cultural heritage in Qingdao. By Wang Lei