The 35th Qingdao International Beer Festival taking place on July 18 brought out Shandong's inbound tourism, with over 1 million South Korean visitors surging into, merely, the Tsingtao Beer Museum during the festival.

This year, Shandong has seen a continuous boom in inbound tourism. According to statistics, in the first half of the year, the province received 705,000 inbound tourists, generating $480 million in inbound tourism revenue, a year-on-year increase of 70.8 percent.

The 35th Qingdao International Beer Festival ignites another wave of inbound tourism in Shandong. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

Innovative tourism marketing boosts global appeal

"Shandong is more vibrant than I've ever thought of. The integration of traditional and modern elements is well-balanced which surprises me a lot," said South Korean blogger Eunbin.

This year, Shandong has launched a tourism marketing campaign, inviting over 40 international travel bloggers to explore and promote the region. With over 60 million views on foreign platforms, the "Friendly Shandong" brand has gained significant international exposure.

The province has also established a collaborative tourism marketing system, hosting events in Singapore and other countries to enhance its global appeal and promote regional tourism development.