Qingdao's floral tourism model drives rural vitalization

Dacun town in Qingdao West Coast New Area (Qingdao WCNA) has embraced a unique development model for the flower-viewing economy in recent years. By consolidating flower resources, enhancing supporting facilities, delving into culture, and extending the industrial chain, the town has paved a novel path for the integrated development of rural vitalization, blending agriculture, culture, and tourism.

Since the commencement of the 7th Peony and Paeonia Festival on April 25 in Qingdao WCNA, the town has drawn approximately 85,000 visitors, with total revenue exceeding 7 million yuan ($971,755).

Blooming peonies and paeonia transform Dacun town into a sea of pink and white. [Photo/WeChat account: xihaianwenlv]

Building upon the 7th Peony and Paeonia Festival, Dacun town has introduced a new tourism route that links a variety of unique local spots. Innovatively combining landscape tours, culinary experiences, educational practices, and quality accommodations, the town offers a new form of cultural tourism.

These new tourism initiatives not only enrich people's travel experiences but also drive the coordinated development of surrounding industries, such as catering, accommodation, and retail.

The flower-viewing economy also facilitates the nationwide sale of local agricultural and specialty products. Throughout this year's Peony and Paeonia Festival, on-site booths were dedicated to the exhibition and sale of agricultural and specialty products, including high-quality local products like sweet potatoes, stone-ground flour, and edible fungi from Dacun town. This inspired a significant number of people to make on-site purchases.