The launch ceremony of the 2022 Qingdao International Cruise Festival was held in Shibei district, Qingdao, on July 5, which marked the start of a month-long cruise ship culture carnival.

The 2022 Qingdao International Cruise Festival kicks off in Shibei district, Qingdao, on July 5. [Photo/Guanhai News]

A dazzling array of cultural and sports activities, covering cruise photography exhibitions, crosstalk shows, classic film shows, concerts and football matches, will be held during the festival.

Cruise ship culture as well as Shibei's historic areas will be highlighted during the festival to boost the integrated development of the port city industry.

The Qingdao International Cruise Port is the core area of an experimental base for innovative economic and trade cooperation under the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership in Shibei district. [Photo/Guanhai News]

The cruise festival is designed as an innovative measure to popularize cruise ship cultural knowledge and cultivate the source market, as well as a useful exploration to promote the integration and symbiosis of cruise ship tourism and historical urban areas, according to event organizers.

The North China Qingdao Cruise Economic Development Research and Service Center was also unveiled at the festival's opening ceremony.

As a non-profit social service institution, the center is committed to integrating political, industrial, academic and other resources to carry out Qingdao cruise ship industry research, services, marketing and promotion, as well as promote foreign exchanges and cooperation in the cruise ship industry, so as to help local cruise economy flourish.

The Qingdao International Cruise Port Service Administration Bureau, Shandong Port Cruise Culture and Tourism Group and other six cruise ship companies jointly signed an agreement on cruise route operations and industrial cooperation.

A cruise ship docks at the Qingdao International Cruise Port. [Photo/Guanhai News]