Highlighting the themes of "ice and snow, reunion and festive atmosphere", Dongying city in East China's Shandong province held an array of cultural tourism activities during this year's Spring Festival holiday, promoting consumption and stimulating market vitality.

Visitors eagerly shop for festive goods and decorations at the market at Sun Tzu Cultural Park. [Photo by Xu Ping/for chinadaily.com.cn]

Ten major activities were held, such as carnivals, lantern festivals, temple fairs, night tours and park visits. For example, the 17-day Dongying ice and snow carnival consisted of a snow carnival area, a fiery bonfire area, a fantasy snow park, a winter market area and an ice crystal forest area, accompanied by seven events including an electronic music festival, a bonfire festival, a fish lantern festival and a grand circus.

Meanwhile, Dongying opened 40 A-level scenic spots during the Spring Festival holiday period. The Yellow River Estuary Ecotourism Area, Sun Tzu Cultural Park and Longju Taohuadao Tourism Resort offered a tour package that included perks such as ticket discounts and special event subsidies.

Utilizing online platforms such as Douyin, Weibo and other short video platforms, Dongying increased publicity and promotional efforts for its tourism products, routes, activities and preferential measures.

To preserve traditional Chinese culture and enrich the spiritual and cultural life of the public, Dongying also held an immersive cultural experience activity to boost the development of Lyuju Opera, a very unique genre of the Chinese art form.

The city also opened public libraries, cultural centers, art galleries and museums, providing services such as book borrowing, reader activities, venue reservations, literary and art rehearsals, and exhibition displays during the Spring Festival period. All 28 theater chains and one drive-in cinema in the city were fully operational as well, enriching the cultural life of the people during the holiday.

Official statistics indicate that the city's domestic tourism revenue experienced a significant surge during this year's eight-day Spring Festival holiday, increasing by over 100 percent compared to the same period in 2019.