Yishui revitalizes tourism through innovation

Visitors can marvel at the wonders of the karst caves at the Underground Grand Canyon. [Photo/Linyi Daily]

Yishui county in Linyi is breathing new life into its classic scenic spots, including the Underground Grand Canyon, Firefly Stream Cave, and Tianshang Wangcheng Scenic Area. To boost visitor numbers, Yishui has partnered with the Shandong Culture and Tourism Group, with a major cooperation project recently approved to drive future growth.

The county's revitalization strategy combines digital marketing with targeted incentives. A tourism promotion held in Qingdao in April generated over 20 million views online. Building on this success, Yishui began offering free admission for students in primary and secondary schools, which spiked occupancy rates at 14 local key hotels by 82.3 percent in May.

Furthermore, the county produced a micro-drama that led to a 35 percent increase in visitor volume and a 25.5 percent revenue boost at Tianshang Wangcheng Scenic Area, where the drama was filmed, during this year's May Day holiday.

To ensure a pleasant visitor experience, Yishui upgraded its on-site services by establishing an efficient complaint-handling mechanism and granting frontline staff direct refund authority during peak holidays.

Looking ahead, Yishui will advance 42 renewal projects and develop new nighttime consumption districts near the Sanqiao scenic area and Caihong town. Notably, the first phase of the 1.03-billion-yuan ($147-million) Yimeng Leisure Tourism Resort is set to open by the end of the year.

Through asset upgrades, creative promotions, and refined services, Yishui is forging a path toward cultural tourism revitalization.