East China's Shandong province saw a vibrant tourism market during the recent May Day holiday, thanks to its first spring break, which aligned with the national holiday to create an extended vacation. This new arrangement significantly boosted consumer spending and travel activity.

During the five-day holiday, 200 key monitored scenic spots across the province welcomed over 26.15 million visitors, generating about 1.27 billion yuan ($186.32 million) in revenue – an increase of 5.3 percent in visitors and 4 percent in revenue year-on-year. Public cultural venues served more than 4.47 million visitors, marking a notable rise of 9.51 percent.

Beyond the impressive visitor numbers, the holiday highlighted a strategic shift in Shandong's tourism focus: moving from simply attracting large crowds to encouraging longer stays and deeper engagement. The newly introduced "Bring Visitors to Shandong" subsidy policy, starting May 1, includes incentives for stays of two or more nights.

This policy is transforming the tourist experience in Shandong. Instead of rushing between sights, visitors are now choosing immersive, multi-day experiences. Cities are developing integrated tours that combine urban landmarks with nearby counties and villages, offering a wealth of nighttime activities, performances, and cultural workshops.

From AI-powered robots guiding visitors at Taishan Mountain to enchanting Fantasy Liaozhai shows in Zibo and immersive digital exhibitions in Jinan, this May Day holiday showed the new approach that converts fleeting visits into lasting memories.

The Xingzhe Taishan robot and a performance actor at the Qianfo Mountain scenic area in Jinan, Shandong. [Photo/Dazhong News]

Crowds gather to watch a cultural show. [Photo/Dazhong News]