REGIONAL> Culture Tourism
New culture tourism projects established in Tai'an
By Ji Yuan (China Daily Shandong Bureau)
Updated: 2009-07-31 10:10

A large number of cultural tourism projects will soon be making their way to Taian's Mount Tai including a theme park, cultural city, beer paradise, and garden center, which will enrich tourism in Mount Tai.

"We are trying to combine culture with tourism to make Mount Tai travel more attractive," said Zhang Zhihua, Party Secretary of the Mount Tai region.

At the foot of Mount Tai, the FantaWild Adventure theme park plans to open in May 2010. As a "Made-in-China Disney", the high-tech theme park began construction at the end of last year with an investment of two billion yuan.

The theme park will integrate modern cultural elements with the religious and imperial culture of Mount Tai. Sound, light, electricity and digital technology will be used in 30 entertainment showcases, including dinosaurs and the origin of life. It plans to host four million tourists a year, provide job opportunities for 1,500 people and bring in 300 million yuan in tourism revenue.

Baolong City Square will offer leisure consumerism and recreational culture so tourists can appreciate Mount Tai's charms.

Another tourism project, Beer Paradise, will enable tourists to see a beer production line and taste Taishan beer with a German flavor. With an investment totaling close to 580 million yuan, the project occupies a floor area of around 60,000 square meters and is projected to rake in an income of 640 million yuan and 200 million yuan in annual tax.

Seven special gardens have already completed construction including the Taishan Daughter Tea Garden, Chinese Herbs Garden, Rare Fruit Garden, Potted Landscape Garden and Orchid Garden. They act as natural oxygen bars and science bases for tourists.

The Mount Tai Silicon Valley will be built to improve the area's cultural industry. The project is a research and development base for electronic information, the IT industry, and animation design with an investment of 300 million yuan. The first phase of the project was put into operation in June.

Other attractions that have also opened include a resort, underground river drift and cultural villages.

Bringing in more local dollars are a series of Taishan special products which have been sold at home and abroad including Taishan Red Squama Fish, Taishan Daughter Tea, and Pomegranate and Chinese chestnut.