Qingdao Daily/Guanhai News – How did Qingdao ring in the New Year? The answer lies in its vibrant cultural and tourism scenes. On New Year's Day, scenic spots, cultural blocks, and museums welcomed visitors with a host of innovative formats and creative activities. From trendy marine cultural experiences and immersive "Guochao" (China Chic) events to new forms of leisure travel, a spectacular feast of events ignited consumer enthusiasm, marking a strong start to the year. Notably, with the growing popularity of "China Travel," Qingdao was listed among the "Top 10 Cities for Inbound Tourism during the New Year's Day Holiday" by Qunar.com, alongside cities like Shanghai, Beijing, Guangzhou, and Shenzhen.
On January 1, the Dabaodao Cultural and Leisure Block welcomes visitors from all corners with a unique performance of Jiaozhou Yangge dance. (Photo by Wang Lei)
The New Year holiday is a time filled with joy and warmth for families. Early on January 1, Qingdao Underwater World in the Olympic Sailing Marine Culture and Tourism Area saw a surge of holiday visitors. For the holiday, the attraction prepared a series of diverse new cultural and tourism scenes. At the "Underwater New Year Music Party," visitors could not only listen to violin performances by artists in a fantastical underwater world but also enjoy classical-style dances in front of the massive cylindrical tank known as "Pledge of Eternal Love," and have chance encounters with a mermaid-shaped underwater roly-poly toy. The specially launched "Underwater Snow Show" for the New Year holiday greatly enhanced the winter travel atmosphere. In addition to families, the scenic spot also attracted many young tourists who came to take photos for their social media, capturing beautiful New Year moments.
As the new year begins, the city's century-old cultural imprints are meeting citizens and tourists through new scenes integrating culture and tourism. This New Year's Day, the Qingdao Urban Cultural Heritage Protection Center, in collaboration with the Former German Governor's Residence Museum, Signal Hill Park, and Shihua Villa, launched a special winter check-in event themed "Strolling Through the Old Town: A Quest Along Longshan Road," unlocking a limited-edition winter cultural adventure. The novel approach of collecting maps, gathering stamps, and winning prizes attracted numerous citizens and tourists to participate in this special cultural welcome to the new year.
During the holiday, Qingdao Fantawild Dreamland extended its opening hours until 9 p.m., offering visitors day-and-night fun to kickstart their "first dose of happiness" for 2024. Indoor attractions like "Fly with You," "The Flooding of Jinshan Temple," and "Liaozhai" (based on the classic collection of supernatural tales) were popular among families, with many visitors queuing up to experience them a second time. Outdoor rides such as "Flare Meteor," "Pirate Ship," and "Flying Swing" provided a thrilling way for tourists to de-stress. Additionally, the park set up several New Year-themed photo spots for visitors to easily take stunning pictures.
The fun never stops at Qingdao Shanhaijian Everbright City. Building on the 86,000 visitors it welcomed on New Year's Eve, the block continued to offer a series of immersive cultural experiences on New Year's Day. The "Fantasy of Mountains and Seas, Era of Fire Dance" themed carnival was in full swing, with spectacular activities running continuously from 4:00 p.m. to 10:25 p.m. over the three-day holiday. Among them, "The Era of Divine Fire," Qingdao's first large-scale mythology-themed live-action show, created an ancient fantasy-scape with its blend of a circular immersive theater and special effects based on the Five Elements (Wuxing), delivering a powerful audio-visual impact. The International Grand Circus performed four shows daily, featuring 12 exciting acts such as trapeze, samba dancing, and a thrilling show of motorcycle prowess. Every evening, intangible cultural heritage performances including dragon dances, fire-breathing, face-changing (Bian Lian), and martial arts were presented, allowing citizens and tourists to celebrate the New Year holiday amidst laughter and joy. (By Ma Xiaoting, Qingdao Daily/Guanhai News)
Editor: Yuan Ruichen
