Shandong province in East China released a slew of colorful activities online during the three-day Qingming Festival, also known as Tomb Sweeping Day, which fell on April 5, offering consumers a platform to get up close and personal with nature in the spring.

Authorities of the provincial culture and tourism department said that in light of the current COVID-19 pandemic, local travel was the trend during the three-day Qingming Festival holiday in Shandong. Many outdoor scenic areas in the province resumed operations in a careful and orderly way in light of the COVID-19 situation, to meet the increasing number of short-distance tours near the travelers' homes or places of work, which were the most popular choices during the Tomb Sweeping Day holiday, as people pursued safe and high-quality trips.

The World's Best Spring Scenic Area in Jinan, capital of Shandong province, opened its outdoor places to the public, and implemented strict anti-epidemic measures such as sterilizing the facilities, prohibiting unnecessary gatherings, measuring visitors' temperatures and checking their health codes. As for tourists, they should pay close attention to anti-pandemic rules by continuing to wear face masks, maintain social distancing, and follow the government's health instructions to prevent the spread of the virus.

The province's Dongying city organized a livestreaming class to popularize the traditions during the Qingming Festival. A special live streaming activity featuring oriental white storks was also held by the city on Douyin, a popular short-video platform in China, which is known as TikTok overseas, to showcase the living habits of the endangered birds, as well as the beautiful spring scenery in the Yellow River Delta National Nature Reserve in Dongying.

Black Tiger Spring is part of the World's Best Spring Scenic Area in Jinan. [Photo by Wang Qin/WeChat account: gh_6caf012153b6]