The performing arts and exhibition economy in East China's Shandong province is on the rise, as evidenced by the attention given to it during the "two sessions", a key annual political event in the province.

"The Jinan International Biennale has been held three times over the past five years, each one breaking boundaries," said Yang Xiaogang, standing committee member of the Shandong Provincial Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) and president of the Shandong Art Museum.

The biennale has sparked an exhibition craze, becoming a vivid example of cultural innovation and the convergence between Qilu culture and modern art, Yang said.

Data shows that since the start of the third Jinan International Biennale in mid-December 2024, the Shandong Art Museum and the Jinan Art Museum have received over 300,000 visitors in just over 30 days.

"The tourism industry is trending toward the integration of scenic spots with performing arts," said Gao Honglei, standing committee member of the CPPCC Shandong Provincial Committee and former chairman of Shandong Culture and Tourism Group.

Sun Lubao, standing committee member of the CPPCC Shandong Provincial Committee and director of the Shandong Innovation Management Institute, said that Shandong should spare no effort in promoting the integration of tourism with culture, sports, exhibitions, and healthcare.

During this year's session for the CPPCC Shandong Provincial Committee, the Shandong Provincial Committee of the Jiusan Society has collectively submitted proposals on accelerating the innovative integration of culture, commerce, sports, tourism and competitions with the online economy, content economy, and scenario economy, extending the cultural tourism industry chain.

In 2024, Shandong received over 9 billion tourists, with tourism revenue exceeding 1 trillion yuan ($137 billion). Building on these remarkable achievements, Shandong plans to implement a consumption revival campaign this year, launching special tourist trains that will offer new consumption opportunities combining culture and tourism with transportation.