The coastal province of Shandong in east China has since last year invested 3 billion yuan in developing tourist resources and attracting more visitors.

Official statistics showed that 562,000 tourists from home and abroad visited Shandong last year, and foreign exchange from tourism reached a record of 265 million US dollars.

The investment was used to develop new tourist spots, including the 1.3-billion-yuan Spring Water Park in Jinan, the provincial capital, the Qingdao Ocean Park, the World Sea Battle Park in Liugong Island at Weihai, the Confucius Cultural Square in Qufu, and the 250-million-yuan Wild Animal World in Jinan.

The province has always attempted to develop tourism by taking advantage of its rich cultural resources. At present, several other tourist projects centered on the local culture are being planned or already under construction.