Tai'an turns mountain villages into thriving tourism hub

Nestled at the foot of Taishan Mountain, Taiqian subdistrict in Tai'an, Shandong province, is transforming rural villages into a vibrant cultural tourism destination. At the heart of this change is the 7.3-kilometer Taishan Mountain Cultural Tourism Corridor, which links six villages along the scenic mountain road.

The corridor connects four functional zones: art villages, red tourism sites, boutique homestays, and performance dining areas. A framework of core projects and supporting initiatives anchors the development, with the Fashion Baimashi cultural block, homestay clusters, and an immersive Taishan Mountain banquet experience as key drivers. Idle resources have been revitalized: old schools have become boutique homestays, abandoned hillsides have been turned into agritourism complexes, and unused land now hosts night markets and bonsai businesses.

Local culture is woven throughout. Distinctive mascots and cultural products — from pomegranate drinks to tie-dye clothing — bring Taishan Mountain's heritage into everyday life.

Today, the village at the foot of Taishan Mountain has taken on a new look. All six villages along the mountain ring road have completed their old village renovation, with smooth roads and lush greenery to boot. The old scenic road has been upgraded, with 15 new viewing platforms and art check-in spots added, turning it into a more scenic route.

Over the past three years, Taiqian subdistrict has continued to enrich its cultural tourism offerings, cultivating 43 homestays and adding over 110 dining and drinking venues, giving the overnight economy a promising start.

With seven distinctive cultural tourism and study routes offering scenic views, storytelling, local cuisine, and shopping entertainment, the area has already welcomed over 400,000 visitors this year as of late September, making "mountain-front vacationing" an increasingly popular choice.

Old schools become boutique homestays and idle land turns into vibrant night markets, weaving scattered rural resources into a thriving tourism network. [Photo/Tai'an Daily]