The Linyi Commercial City in Shandong Province began in the 1980s and, after over 40 years of development, has formed an enormous market cluster consisting of 136 specialized wholesale markets. It offers more than 6 million types of goods, covering the main categories of production and daily necessities. More than 3,000 domestic shipping routes connect all county-level cities and above, reaching all ports and borders, with TIR international road transport and 27 China-Europe freight train routes linking Europe and Asia.

With the recent rise in cultural and tourism consumption, cultural night tours in Linyi have become popular among visitors. The Yihe River light show once trended on social media, and major hotels in the city experienced a shortage of rooms during peak holidays. Many out-of-town tourists not only enjoy sightseeing but also explore Linyi Commercial City, discovering hidden gem shops and popular stores. This has opened new opportunities for Linyi Commercial City to transform into a cultural and tourism retail hub.

To achieve this transformation, infrastructure enhancements in the commercial city are essential. The cultural tourism department of Lanshan District has developed tailored infrastructure improvement standards for the commercial city through external research and expert consultations. They are accelerating the “cultural tourism transformation” of the market, renovating stores to incorporate cultural and tourism elements, and adding scenic and leisure features to convert visitor traffic into increased market activity, thereby stimulating offline business.

In 2024, Lanshan District aims to invigorate consumption by integrating commerce and cultural tourism, having established eight model markets for this integration, with three markets successfully designated as national 3A-level scenic spots. By transforming markets into scenic areas and connecting them with attractions such as the Wang Xizhi Former Residence, the Yinque Mountain Han Tomb Bamboo Slip Museum, and the Water Rhythm Langya, four premium tourism routes titled “Explore Linyi Commercial City, Join the Chinese Grand Market” have been launched, resulting in a 30% increase in offline foot traffic.

This year, 15 specialized markets, including Linyi Small Commodity City, will be upgraded to meet national 3A scenic spot standards, along with the creation of four new premium commercial tourism routes. Additionally, the district will accelerate the construction of a measurement and testing center for the digital commerce logistics industry, establishing a national pilot area for commodity after-sales service certification.