QINGDAO Fanta Dreamland has attracted more than 300,000 visitors since it started trial operation at the end of July, making revenue of more than 50 million yuan, according to the city’s tourism bureau.

    The Qingdao International Spa, Convention & Exhibition Holiday Resort in Jimo held the country’s first professional fair for the Chinese medical equipment industry when it was opened at the end of October, attracting more than 100,000 visitors and exhibitors. The resort is expected to attract more than 2 million visitors ever year.

    According to the bureau, there are 77 key tourism projects with total investment of 128 billion yuan. Among these, 42 projects with 60 billion yuan investment are under construction, while 35 projects with total investment of 68 billion yuan will start soon. As of the end of October, 13 projects, including the first phase of Qingdao Huaqiang Cultural Technology Industrial Park (including Fanta Dreamland), International Spa, Convention & Exhibition Holiday Resort, a folk culture museum in Sifang District, Sheraton Hotel, the Outlet Square in Zhanqiao and Xijing Spa Hotel, are now in trial operation. Six projects, including the first phase of Haiquan Bay, Haidu Hotel and Kempinski Hotel will open at the end of this year.

    In the first three quarters of this year, 40.64 million travelers visited the city, an increase of 13 percent compared with the same period of last year. The total revenue made by tourism reached 52.418 billion yuan, increasing by 15.9 percent than last year.

    It is expected that the total number of travelers around the world will increase by at least 12 percent compared with last year, while the revenue will be about 17 percent more.

    The 77 key tourism projects include hotels, museums, shopping venues, landscapes and cultural venues, which will both increase tourism and create jobs. For example, Huaqiang industrial park created more than 1,500 jobs in less than four months. (Wang Yuanyuan, Fu Jun)