A group of expats recently visited Meigui town, also known as Rose town, in Pingyin county, Jinan, Shandong province.

During their tour, the foreign tourists learned how to make rose flower cakes, admired a sea of roses and viewed rose products and their production workshops, which help them gain an understanding of the booming rose industry in Pingyin county.

"It was very interesting. I not only saw a variety of rose products, but also learned about the planting process of roses and the making process of rose flower cakes," said Ornella Marina Girimbere from Burundi.

Officials said the rose industry in Pingyin has seen rapid development in recent years. The rose planting area has reached more than 60,000 mu (4,000 hectares), with an annual output of more than 20,000 tons of roses.

The sales revenue of rose series processing products increased about 45 percent in the recent two years.

There are more than 130 varieties of rose products, including food, medicine, wine, beverage, home textile, healthcare products, cosmetics, and handicrafts.

The brand value of "Pingyin rose" currently stands at 2.79 billion yuan ($431.9 million) and has an annual output value of nearly 5 billion yuan.

Foreigners bend down to smell rose flowers in Meigui town, Pingyin county, East China's Shandong province. [Photo/sdchina.com]

Expats pose for a photo at a rose flower plantation in Pingyin county. [Photo/sdchina.com]

Expats experience making rose flower cakes at the Zijin Rose Ecological Base in Pingyin county, Jinan. [Photo/sdchina.com]

Stuffing of rose flower cakes [Photo/sdchina.com]

Foreigners visit rose products made by Shandong Huamei Biological Technology Co including rose cosmetics, rose essential oil, and rose fiber scarves. [Photo/sdchina.com]

Foreigners visit the workshop of Shandong Huamei Biological Technology Co. [Photo.sdchina.com]