Innovation empowers cultural tourism in Shandong

People enjoy Spring Festival festive vibe at the Dong'e Ejiao City, a cultural tourism site featuring culture of ejiao, medicine, and healthcare. [Photo by Hou Changming for chinadaily.com.cn]

The grand opening of the Dong'e Donkey Theater, located in the Lushang Cultural Tourism Complex in Dong'e county of Liaocheng, Shandong province, has injected newfound momentum into the development of the county's cultural tourism.

The theater has attracted numerous visitors with its splendid concerts, magic shows, music performances, and errenzhuan, a song-and-dance duet popular in Northeast China.

With 500 seats, the theater is capable of hosting various performances such as cultural learning, operas, dramas, musicals, dances, symphonies, and traditional Chinese operas, meeting the diverse cultural and educational needs of both local residents and tourists.

In recent years, Dong'e county has been adhering to the strategy of promoting culture through tourism and vice versa in order to vitalize the county.

A bird's-eye view of the ejiao-themed scenic area in Dong'e county. [Photo by Hou Changming for chinadaily.com.cn]

Relying on its ecological resources, distinctive cultural heritage, industrial advantages and market demand, Dong'e county is seeking to become a popular destination for health and wellness tourism.

Through projects such as the integration of traditional Chinese medicine with cultural tourism and the construction of the Lushang Cultural Tourism Complex and the Aishan Yellow River Folk Culture Experience Center, Dong'e has managed to boost its cultural tourism industry.

The county has introduced a series of policies to stimulate consumption, promote the prosperity of nighttime economy, and develop commercial complexes, effectively unleashing consumer spending potential.

In 2023, Dong'e county received 2.8 million tourists, generating a tourism income of 1.8 billion yuan ($250 million). (Edited by Yang Yi)