Under the theme of “travelling around Qingdao to one’s heart’s content, taking great pleasure in Shandong, benefiting people with cultural tourism and enjoying thoroughly the winter”, the 2024 Qingdao urban and rural cultural tourism festival and winter tour of Qingdao has recently kicked off and will last from December 2023 to February 2024. Qingdao’s 101 grade-A scenic spots, 78 starred hotels, 6 homestay hotels and 134 museums will join hands to launch 253 winter tourism activities, 85 preferential policies and 76 kinds of delicious food to unfold a great upsurge in “winter tour of Qingdao”.

24 kinds of tourism activities in five categories, namely marine ecology, sports, healthcare by traditional Chinese medicine, national customs and ancient styles, and leisure and vacation, are able to meet varied needs of tourists. To name a few, tourists can take a hot spring bath, boat for pleasure and enjoy the seascape in the healthcare program, take ice-snow sports such as feeding sea gulls, skating and skiing and striking ice cascades, walk along old streets, visit the former residences of celebrities and look into culture in the old urban areas, go camping, taste tea and drink warm wine in the countryside, seek Guochao (China chic), learn about intangible cultural heritage and visit fairs to gain more knowledge of interesting and elegant folk customs. (Xu Nuo)

Citizens and tourists in the “winter tour of Qingdao” feed sea gulls in the Zhanqiao Pier. By Yu Hao