1. Tourism in Qingdao

More than 1.16 million tourists from abroad visited Qingdao in 2011, a growth rate of 7 percent year-on-year. The earnings from foreign exchange reached $690 million dollars and saw a growth rate of 14.7 percent year-on-year. That same year, a total of 49.56 million domestic tourists were welcomed in Qingdao, a growth rate of 13 percent year-on-year. Internal revenue reached 63.7 billion yuan ($10.33 billion) with a growth rate of 18 percent. Total tourism revenue totaled 68.1 billion yuan, a year-on-year growth of 17.5 percent.

Qingdao will have 59 A-level scenic areas and 155 star-rated hotels by the end of 2011 Qingdao has introduced over 30 famous tourist enterprises from home and abroad, including Intercontinental in the US, Starwood, Hyatt, Germany Kempinski, Accor and China Travel Service (Hong Kong) Co. There are 728 tourist companies in the city. The city boasts a total of 155 star-rated hotels (including 10 five-star hotels and 31 four-star hotels), 46 star-rated restaurants (including one five-star restaurant and 18 four-star restaurants), 166 scenic areas (including one 5A scenic area, 18 4A scenic areas and 30 3A scenic areas), and 361 travel agents (including 21 agents involved in overseas group travel). There are over 10,000 tour guides in the city.

2. Development plan for tourism sector

Qingdao will accelerate efforts to transform the structure of its tourism sector, refine the diversified tourism system with a focus on leisure and vacation, promote its 77 primary tourist items with a total investment of around 128 billion yuan, and focus on developing high-end tourists.

It will focus on developing resort and vacation facilities and accelerate the development of Shi Laoren Resort, Phoenix Island, Langyatai, Tianheng Island, Lingshan Bay and Aoshan Mountain Hot Spring. Qingdao strives to establish the China Travel Service (Hong Kong) Bay Spring as well as refine resort and tourist products by the end of 2015. It will develop cultural tourism and promote religious tourist products featuring Taoism in Laoshan Mountain. It will complete entertainment projects for the China Travel Service (Hong Kong) Bay Spring and refine cultural tourism products before 2012. It will strive to establish cultural resources for famous persons in China, such as Kang Youwei and Laoshe, and refine historic and cultural tourism products. Qingdao will also boost the establishment of tourist facilities with European features and make industrial and cultural tourism brands for beer, textiles and grape wine. It will also refine industrial and cultural tourism products.

During the period of the 12th Five-Year Plan, Qingdao will strive to expand its large port to a cruise home-port that complies with international standards and has an annual capacity of over 1 million persons. It will promote the Qingdao Olympic Sailing Center to establish a flexible cruise clearance facility and an international cruise parking port.

It will also establish a tourism demonstration city adhering to national standards this year. It will compile and issue the Development Plan on Standard Tourism in Qingdao City and Regulations on Standard tourism in Qingdao City. Qingdao will select one area and 67 companies to implement trials for standardized tourism. It will also promote star-rated hotels, scenic areas, travel agents, green tourist restaurants and vehicle rental companies. It will establish a standard tourist system, refine service facilities and improve service quality.

Regarding the establishment of basic tourism facilities, Qingdao will establish a tourist transportation center in the main district in accordance with international standards. It will also establish parking lots, toilets and tour buses.

The tourist service center will be put into operation in the first half of the year to improve tourist information, consultations, complaint management, marketing and direction and provide services for individual travelers.