Factory visits are emerging as a cultural tourism draw in Jiaozhou, a city in Qingdao in east China's Shandong Province, according to the release. Several of the city's larger manufacturers have opened their plants to the public, with study tour groups using factory floors as learning spaces and production lines forming part of the visitor route.
The city's manufacturing base counts more than 15,000 industrial enterprises, of which over 1,000 are above designated size, the highest number among cities of its tier in Shandong Province. Encouraged by local authorities, a growing number of industrial companies have moved into culture and tourism, the release said, extending their industrial chains and raising their brand influence along the way.
Qingdao Dengta Flavoring and Food Co., Ltd., whose traditional brewing craft goes back 120 years, lets visitors try their hand at making condiments and taste soy sauce- and vinegar-flavored ice cream at a company museum and a condiment-themed science park. Liqun Group's smart logistics and food production base offers a look at technology in modern industry: its smart logistics centre uses 3D vision technology, its cold-chain centre has a storage capacity of 300,000 cubic meters, and a visitor corridor lets guests watch the operation of the supply chain.
Dengta's science park has held more than 100 events, among them study tours, team-building, cultural performances and business promotion, with a steady monthly flow of around 1,200 visitors; local agricultural and catering businesses have benefited as well. Liqun's base has linked the industrial, agricultural and consumer sectors, using industrial tourism to support the integrated development of primary, secondary and tertiary industries.
Jiaozhou intends to strengthen its industrial tourism brand and broaden what visitors can do, the release said, so that more of them can see the craftsmanship and industrial capacity behind "Made in Jiaozhou."