A spectacle where the Yellow River flows into the Bohai Sea in Dongying. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

Shandong province, where the Yellow River meets the sea, has been exploring ways to vitalize Yellow River cultural heritage and promote the integration of its culture and tourism resources to serve the national strategy of ecological protection and high-quality development of the Yellow River Basin.

Snaking through nine provinces and autonomous regions across North China, the 5,464-kilometer Yellow River is an age-old witness to the nation's history. As the cradle of Chinese culture, the Yellow River basin has been the political, economic and cultural center of China.

Shandong, which is home to 628 kilometers of the Yellow River, boasts abundant cultural resources and had nurtured many preeminent philosophers, writers and inventors during the Spring and Autumn Period (770-476 BC) and the Warring States Period (475-221 BC).

Shandong is also home to four UNESCO World Heritage sites, including Mount Tai and has eight items inscribed on the UNESCO Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.

A view of Swan Lake tourist resort in Zibo's Gaoqing county where the Yellow River flows through. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

The only coastal province along the Yellow River, Shandong is building its tourism brand of "Meet the Sea along the Yellow River", integrating its tourism with Yellow River culture and coastal tourism resources. Since June, 2022, local authorities have been organizing a series of promotional activities that have facilitated cooperation and exchanges in the Yellow River Basin.

One such special event would be the "Meeting the Sea along the Yellow River" tour organized by the Shandong Provincial Department of Culture and Tourism. The tour will see a group of expats from countries including Britain, Canada, the United States and Egypt travel to the cities of Dongying, Weifang and Zibo in Shandong province from Sept 8 to 10 to explore Yellow River culture and the Yellow River Delta.

Weifang kite making technique is a national intangible cultural heritage item in Shandong province. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn] 

According to Wang Lei, head of the province's department of culture and tourism, Shandong will deepen cooperation with other provinces to develop tourist brands, share resources, create new products and hold special events to showcase the scenery and customs of the nine provincial-level areas along the Yellow River.

Official statistics showed that tourists made 340 million trips to Shandong by the first half of this year, generated a revenue of 406.07 billion yuan ($55.54 billion).

Foreign visitors are enchanted by Zibo porcelain and ceramic products. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]