Jinan, capital of East China's Shandong province, has made significant progress in the integrated development of its cultural and tourism industries in recent years.

Sun Licheng, Party secretary of Jinan, promoted the city's cultural and tourism development at the opening ceremony of the first China International Cultural Tourism Fair, which took place in Jinan on Sept 16. 

Sun Licheng, Party secretary of Jinan, promotes the city's cultural and tourism resources at the opening ceremony of the first China International Cultural Tourism Fair on Sept 16. [Photo/tianxiaquanchengapp.com]

Jinan, dubbed as the City of Springs, is home to 72 famous springs, including Baotu Spring and Black Tiger Spring, which help to give the city a distinct feel.

Spring water can be found in many of the city's gardens, residences, lakes and a host of other areas.

Jinan, an ancient city in Shandong with a history of more than 4,000 years, also has its uniquely successful experience in cultural heritage protection.

The Mingfucheng Historical Area boasts a rich variety of ancient buildings built in the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) and is a good place for visitors to learn about the city's history.

The Baihuazhou Historical and Cultural Block is now a demonstration zone for the preservation of traditional architecture and renovation for modern use.

Over 100 inheritors of traditional crafts including shadow puppetry, paper-cutting and wood carving can be found in the area.

A bustling evening at a night market in Jinan, Shandong province [Photo/WeChat account: jnslyj]

The city has a thriving nighttime economy driven by a large number of commercial streets and night markets.

The multimedia light show at Daming Lake and the night view featuring Tang Dynasty (618-907) culture at Jinan Fantawild Oriental Heritage have become must-sees for visitors.

The local government has also rolled out policies to support the development of cultural tourism enterprises by providing funds and preferential treatment.

More efforts will be made to promote the protection and utilization of natural and cultural heritage resources along the Yellow River and the Great Wall of Qi in the coming years.

The multimedia water show at Daming Lake has become a must-see for visitors. [Photo/WeChat account: jnslyj]