According to the newly released action plan for promoting the development of inbound tourism, Qingdao will take a holistic approach to improving featured products, hold promotional activities in a targeted way, make tourist channels unimpeded, refine services and enhance the supply of factors to make inbound tourism more appealing and competitive across the board.

The Plan underlines regional-country studies and investigations into tourist requirements, aimed at providing tourists from across the world with varied cultural and tourism packages. To foster new modes of “tourism plus”, a service system covering catering, lodging, transportation, traveling, shopping and recreation will be built. With a focus on holding promotional activities for inbound tourism, Qingdao will improve the efficacy of publicity campaigns through continuous interactions and word-of-mouth communication. Qingdao will make channels for tourists to visit the city unimpeded and continue efforts to improve the inbound tourism service system, strive to build an international air route operating system that helps make the city easily accessible to Japan, South Korea, Asia and countries in other continents, and establish an all-round service network that covers efficient customs clearance, the quality of international services, international telecommunication services, inbound consumption facilitation, and promotion of smart tourism.

From January to April this year, Qingdao welcomed 164,500 foreign tourists, a notable increase of 38.7% year on year.  (Ma Xiaoting)