A group of South Korean tourists made a special trip to Qingdao to join the seaside celebration during the 35th Qingdao International Beer Festival due to the Qingdao Municipal Bureau of Culture and Tourism's recent launching of the Qingdao Cheers With The World – 10,000 Koreans Toast to Qingdao campaign where beer became a medium to build a new bridge for cultural exchange and tourism cooperation between China and South Korea.
As one of the main entry points for South Korean tourists to China, Qingdao offers significant convenience for bilateral travel with 38 daily round-trip flights to and from South Korea currently being operated continuously from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. This high-frequency, transit-like flight schedule has made travel between Qingdao and South Korea increasingly seamless.
A special pavilion named HANATOUR was set up at the heart of the Golden Beach Beer City in the Qingdao West Coast New Ara (QWCNA) for the occasion. Designed as an immersive Korean-language environment, the space offers interactive experiences and exclusive souvenirs tailored for Korean visitors to create a warm and familiar atmosphere. "It's our first time in Qingdao, but the warm hospitality here truly moved us. We'll definitely recommend the Qingdao Beer Festival to our friends—it's a once-in-a-lifetime celebration worth making a special trip for!" said a newlywed couple from South Korea.
The Qingdao Municipal Bureau of Culture and Tourism launch of the Tour the Beer Festival, Explore Qingdao travel package has local travel agencies integrating flight routes, travel attractions, hotels, and the festival itself to include discounted airfare, complimentary beer, and locally-inspired souvenirs to offer tourists a convenient, one-stop experience of the city's charm. The introduction of a Ha-Jiu Style (meaning, "Fun & Beer Style") Cultural Map provides South Korean tourists with an immersive festival atmosphere that blends beer with food, music, and creative culture across the city.
In the lead-up to the festival, Qingdao's cultural and tourism authorities staged a promotional roadshow in Seoul's popular commercial districts such as Hongdae, featuring travel showcases, fresh beer tastings, live performances, lucky draws, and special offers—including free festival tickets for Qingdao-bound travelers and complimentary drink vouchers—effectively igniting excitement in the South Korean market. Key South Korean travel agencies, influencers, bloggers, and media were also invited to Qingdao for an in-depth experience, sharing the energy of the Beer Festival and the city's vibrant charm across social media platforms.
This initiative represents a concrete step in advancing China's strategy to boost inbound tourism by leveraging the international appeal of Tsingtao Beer's century-old brand as well as the global draw of the festival to offer tourists an immersive, culturally rich celebration with strong international flair—stimulating inbound travel spending and accelerating the city's transformation into a globally recognized tourist destination. Looking ahead, Qingdao will continue to strengthen its foothold in the South Korean market while expanding efforts to attract long-haul visitors with further plans to improve the efficiency of entry procedures and enhance travel convenience to drive high-quality growth in inbound tourism and support Qingdao's broader push for high-level international openness.
编辑：曹晓旭
