Resort speeds up change
The Qingdao Ocean Spring Resort, due to begin trial operations this year, is expected to help transform Qingdao from a sightseeing to a leisure destination.
The resort will contain China's largest hot springs centre and the first outlets centre within a resort. Its hot springs centre is expected to boost visitor traffic during the low season.
It is projected that when fully operational the resort will attract 2.8 million visitors a year, from within China and neighbouring countries such as South Korea and Japan.
The resort is China Travel Service (HK) Corp's flagship project in northern China. With a total investment of 5 billion yuan (HK$6.1 billion), the resort in Jimo city covers 187 hectares.
It will comprise five key parts: a five-star hotel, a hot springs centre, an outlets centre, a multifunction theatre and a seafood restaurant. There will be other residential developments.
The 600-room Qingdao Grand Metropark Hotel covers 110,000 square metres, and features Mediterranean-style buildings. It has a Chinese restaurant, a Japanese restaurant and China's only beer bar with a Tsingtao Beer theme. It offers a banquet area of 6,000 square metres and variety of recreation facilities.
Covering 34,000 square metres, the Ocean Hot Spring Centre can accommodate 2,800 people. Its five hot-springs areas will provide 55 hot springs pools.
The Outlets Centre covers 54,000 square metres. Its main building, of three storeys, features traditional European architecture. There is a spacious shopping hall and an outdoor square.
With a building area of 10,000 square metres, the Tianchuang Theatre has a capacity for 1,000 people. It consists of indoor and outdoor areas and can be used for meetings and conferences.
The Seafood World restaurant, over three levels, has a floor area of 6,000 square metres. Offering panoramic sea views, it serves mainly seafood and local delicacies.
