East China's Shandong province proved to be a hit with tourists during the weeklong National Day holiday, attracting nearly 70 million visitors, up 7.6 percent year-on-year, officials said.

According to statistics from the Shandong provincial department of culture and tourism, the province's tourism revenue during the holiday reached 57.95 billion yuan ($8.11 billion), up 9.5 percent year-on-year.

Red tourism, namely visits to prominent historical sites during China's revolutionary period, saw a boost in popularity in the province.

The province launched 33 red tourism routes during the holiday, including red tours to the border areas of Hebei, Shandong, and Henan provinces, as well as red tour routes to Yimeng Mountain and tours to the Jiaodong area.

Special activities were also held in Shandong's 16 cities to celebrate the 70th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China.

Cultural tourism was highlighted, as tourists crowded the province's museums, art galleries and libraries.

Shandong Museum alone received more than 100,000 visitors during the holiday, officials said.

Shandong Art Museum, which is hosting the Exhibition of Chinese Painting of the 13th National Exhibition of Fine Arts, attracted more than 10,000 visitors every day.

The Confucius Family Mansion in Qufu staged six performances of the classic Shandong Bangzi (Wooden Clapper Opera) every day, offering a refreshing experience to visitors.

Rizhao's major scenic areas carried out unique cultural and leisure activities themed around a National Day parade performance and autumn harvest festival. In short-video app Douyi, the topic of "there is a kind of life called Rizhao" was broadcasted 370 million times in total.

Officials said that Qingdao launched themed activities including "tour the beer city" and "visit the Oriental movie city" to lure more tourists during the Golden Week holiday, which greatly enhanced the popularity of Qingdao tourism in the world.

Suburban, self-drive and rural tourism also proved to be a hit for tourists during the holiday, with expressways waiving their normal fees for cars. Many visitors chose to enjoy a rural idyll at village homestays, where they gained an experience in farming and enjoyed rural cuisine and learned about local folklore.

Local government departments also stepped up their security and emergency response capabilities throughout the holiday to ensure visitors enjoyed a safe and pleasant environment during their stay.

Visitors take in blooming flowers at a scenic spot in Tai'an, Shandong province on Oct 2. [Photo/IC]

Students learn about the city's history at Binzhou Museum on Oct 1 in Binzhou, Shandong province. [Photo/IC]

Tourists enjoy a light show in a coastal park in Qingdao, Shandong province, on Oct 1. [Photo/IC]

The well-known Baotu Spring Park in Jinan, capital of Shandong province, is always a hit. It really pulled in the crowds on Oct 2. [Photo/IC]