Your current location:HOME >opinions >Shandong city seeks to capitalize on barbecue fame 正文
TIME:2024-04-30 13:10:07 Source: Internet compilationEdit:opinions
Zibo city in Shandong province has unexpectedly gone viral on Chinese social media since late Februa
Zibo city in Shandong province has unexpectedly gone viral on Chinese social media since late February for its local barbecue specialty, and continues to trend as the local government takes the opportunity to spur tourism and spending.
The latest promotion gives visitors free admission to 10 scenic spots in the city with their train ticket as long as their final destination is Zibo, according to the city's culture and tourism bureau.
This move follows another on March 31 under which the Jinan bureau of China Railway added a weekend special round-trip "barbecue tour" train between Jinan, the capital city of Shandong and Zibo.
Passengers who board the train are greeted by a banner reading "Welcome to the Special BBQ Train "at the entrance of the carriage. They also receive items including leaflets about Zibo's culture and tourism draws, as well as small souvenirs and snacks. Many also took videos and posted them on social media, drawing more visitors.
"The high-speed trains are packed with passengers and the air smells of cumin," wrote one netizen.
Barbecue is popular in China, but Zibo's barbecue is different on three counts; it's made on a stove, and is served with flatbread and dressings. The skewers are 70-80 percent cooked before they are brought to the table, where diners can finish cooking them on their own stoves, which lends a sense of participation. Diners are served flatbreads, scallions and other dressings at the table so they are able to assemble their own barbecue parcels, in much the same way Peking duck is eaten.
The barbecue suddenly went viral after a group of college students shot videos of themselves enjoying a meal and posted them on social media in late February.
Since then, many people, mostly young, have flocked to the city from all over the country to try the dish.
According to local media reports on Wednesday, searches for "barbecue" increased by 370 percent in March, and searches for "Zibo barbecue" on the platform as a whole have increased by 770 percent year-on-year.
On several streets, lines can be seen outside barbecue restaurants, which stretch for more than 100 meters on the weekend.
"Zibo barbecue is bringing more and more people to the city, and the local government needs to think about how to promote the city as a whole, its culture and tourism, as well as its living and business environment," said Sun Xiaorong, a member of the expert panel of tourism marketing and promotion that is supervised by the Shandong Provincial Department of Culture and Tourism.
The trend will eventually end if the local government doesn't take proper follow-up measures, he added.
Chinese FM meets with chairman of MSC Foundation2024-04-30 13:01
Another month of robust US job growth points to continued economic strength2024-04-30 12:35
China sanctions 2 US defense companies and says they support arms sales to Taiwan2024-04-30 12:32
AP PHOTOS: Total solar eclipses through the decades2024-04-30 12:11
Trial starts in conspiracy2024-04-30 11:17
Thailand: $13.7 billion digital money handout plan unveiled2024-04-30 11:12
Odysseus moon lander sends new images in its last hours2024-04-30 11:01
First US moon lander in half a century stops working a week after tipping over at touchdown2024-04-30 10:47
Scarred UNESCO World Heritage site Jiuzhaigou recovers after quake2024-04-30 10:30
Eating less meat would be good for the Earth. Small nudges can change behavior2024-04-30 10:28
‘Welcome to Wrexham’ returns for a ‘nail2024-04-30 12:59
O.J. Simpson still reflects America's racial divides— even in death2024-04-30 12:57
Ancient stone tools found in Ukraine date may be oldest in Europe2024-04-30 12:51
Making cement is very damaging for the climate. One solution is opening in California2024-04-30 12:38
US opens investigation into Ford crashes involving Blue Cruise partially automated driving system2024-04-30 12:02
SpaceX's loses mega rocket near end of test flight2024-04-30 11:34
Martin Wygod, former health care executive turned successful horse breeder and owner, dies at 842024-04-30 11:33
First US moon lander in half a century stops working a week after tipping over at touchdown2024-04-30 10:56
Songs of celebration hail anniversary2024-04-30 10:49
Four astronauts from four countries return to Earth after six months in orbit2024-04-30 10:46