The coastal city of Yantai in East China's Shandong province joined the Global Wine Tourism Organization (GWTO), making the city become the organization's first partnership member in China.

The GWTO, a non-profit organization established in Madrid, Spain in 2020, is committed to building a global premium wine tourism destination and promoting the integrated development of the wine industry and cultural tourism. Currently, the main member countries of the GWTO are Spain, France, Portugal, Argentina, Chile, Greece, Brazil, and Uruguay.

The wine industry has been listed among Yantai's 16 key industries since 2021, and the local government has introduced a slew of supportive measures to promote the high-quality development of its wine industry.

Yantai's wine industry has developed rapidly over the past decades to become an industry leader in China. The city currently has the largest winery and wine production area in the country, and is home to leading wine producers such as Changyu, Great Wall, Junding, and Grand Dragon.

Yantai has a long history of making wine with a complete wine industry chain and a solid industrial foundation. Wine tourism continues to gain popularity in Yantai, and the city has a promising future to become a world-famous wine tourism destination.

Joining the GWTO is expected to further enhance the international visibility and influence of Yantai wine, as well as help Yantai tap into the global wine market.

Yantai's wine industry continues to develop over the past decades and is becoming an industry leader in China. [Photo/WeChat account: ytwlgw]