Growing numbers of tourists interested in Shandong's products have helped the tourism business there improve over the past five years, and a number of its cities have been rated excellent tourist destinations.

"Tourism is on track to be one of the province's pillar industries," said Yu Chong, the Shandong Tourism Bureau's director general.

The province has seven historic cities famous for their culture, 101 relics under national protection, 900 leading tourist attractions, 19 national and provincial-level tourist resorts and 913 star-grade hotels.