The Shandong Provincial Department of Culture and Tourism recently issued guidelines to further unleash the potential of cultural and tourism consumption.

According to local authorities, the province will intensify efforts to deepen supply-side reforms in the cultural and tourism industries. Measures will be launched to lower the price of tourism venues and develop more diverse cultural and tourism products, including various artistic performances and leisure agriculture.

Tourists enjoy the night life at a commercial street in Jinan, capital of Shandong province. [Photo/IC]

Shandong will continue to host a series of activities, including the "Shandong Culture and Tourism Consumption Season", the "Shandong people travelling in Shandong" event, and New Year celebrations to boost consumption in the cultural and tourism industries.

In addition, more fiscal subsidy policies will be implemented to help enterprises, business owners, platforms, and consumers, said Shandong officials.

The province will also work to boost the international profile of large-scale conventions, exhibitions, and activities across its 16 cities, including the Qingdao International Beer Festival, the International Mount Tai Climbing Festival, and the China (Qufu) International Confucius Cultural Festival.

In addition, Shandong will take more steps to boost its local nighttime economy. A variety of nighttime attractions, business districts, and living areas will be established, and a series of nighttime performances will be held at famous tourist attractions. 24-hour convenience stores, bookstores, and movie theaters in urban and rural districts will be expanded to spur the nighttime economy.

Migratory swans in Rongcheng, Shandong province attract crowds of visitors in winter. [Photo/IC]

By 2022, 60 provincial-level nighttime cultural and tourism consumption clusters will be set up and 10 national-level nighttime cultural and tourism consumption clusters will be established in Shandong.

The province will also experiment with the "Friendly Shandong" brand. Qualified enterprises and products will be able to use the brand for free.

In addition, a series of promotions will be held in an effort to increase the international profile of the "Friendly Shandong" brand.

Rural tourism will be highlighted as well. The province will advance rural vitalization on all fronts, improve people's well-being, and develop a new socialist countryside that is beautiful, prosperous, and harmonious.

By 2022, 1,000 scenic villages, 100 key rural tourism villages, and 100 cultural tourism towns will be developed in Shandong, and a number of boutique homestays will be built.

A tourist enjoys the spring scenery at Taierzhuang ancient town in Zaozhuang, Shandong province. [Photo/IC]

The province will make full use of 5G, ultra-high definition, augmented reality, virtual reality, artificial intelligence, and other technologies to develop and offer a new generation of immersive experience-based cultural and tourism products.

It will also support key construction and industry projects involving the cultural and tourism sectors.

It will take advantage of special bonds and infrastructure investment trust funds to improve high-speed rail, expressway, and intercity rail transit systems, and will also take measures to support the development of high-level talent in the culture and tourism sectors.