Shandong province recently released a four-year (2024-27) action plan outlining its ambitious goal of becoming a leading tourism destination. The plan aims to attract over 1 billion tourists annually by 2027, generate 1.3 trillion yuan ($180 billion) in tourism revenue, and increase the share of tourism and related industries in overall GDP to over 5.2 percent.

The plan places a strong emphasis on sustainable tourism development, proposing industrial clusters of intangible heritage items and the development of eco-tourism products. It also highlights the importance of showcasing cultural heritage and cultural relic resources along the national cultural park routes.

To enhance the tourism product supply, the plan aims to cultivate several competitive tourism enterprises, develop 10 rural leisure resorts, increase the number of 5A-level tourist attractions to 18, and expand the number of five-star hotels to over 55 by 2027.

The plan also emphasizes the importance of a robust tourism governance system, calling for strengthening safety supervision, developing a credit system for the tourism market, and promoting a civilized tourism environment.

Furthermore, the plan outlines measures to optimize the comprehensive tourism support system, including improving coordination mechanisms and fostering the development of tourism talent.

By implementing this action plan, Shandong aims to position itself as a world-class tourism destination, attracting both domestic and international visitors.