Qingdao is located in East China's Shandong province and has received nearly 1.32 million tourists from January 22 to 28 in 2012, during the Spring Festival golden week. This is an 18.28 percent increase from the same period last year, according to the municipal tourism administration.

The seven-day tourism boom in this famous coastal city boosted revenues to 1.61 billion yuan ($254 million), a year-on-year increase of 23.06 percent.

Tourists were mainly from within the province. Most of them were attracted by the city's distinguished folk cultures and discount tickets for the local tourism destinations.

Hot tourism destinations like the Laoshan Mountain scenic spot, Qingdao Polar Ocean World and Qingdao Underwater World received respective 10,000, 42,000 and 51,000 tourists.

Qingdao local residents tended to choose outskirts and ecological tours with family members. The Qingdao Forest Wildlife World in the Huangdao district, hot spring resorts in Jimo, one of county-level cities under the administration of Qingdao, and village trips were among their choices.

By Xie Chuanjiao and Hu Qing (chinadaily.com.cn)

Edited by Chen Zhilin and Rakhee M