Visitors at Baotu Spring Park duirng the May Day holiday.

Jinan's inbound tourism market saw strong recovery and growth during the just-concluded May Day holiday, surging 138 percent from a year earlier, according to Ctrip, a leading online travel platform in China.

According to Ctrip, hotel bookings in Jinan increased by 16 percent year-on-year, underscoring the city's strong appeal to travelers. Major sources of tourists included Beijing, Qingdao, Tianjin, Yantai, and Shanghai, which formed the core of Jinan's tourism. Baotu Spring and Daming Lake emerged as top attractions in Jinan during the holiday.

Baotu Spring, known as "The World's Best Spring", has drawn large crowds with its iconic and dynamic spring water scenes. Daming Lake, celebrated for its wealth of beauty and cultural heritage, has long been a favored destination for leisure and sightseeing.

In addition, Jinan has blended its spring water culture with modern tourism amenities at Mingshui Ancient Town, creating a more diverse and immersive experience for visitors.

According to Ctrip, inbound travel bookings to Jinan rose 138 percent year-on-year, highlighting the city's growing appeal for international tourists.

With ongoing improvements in tourism infrastructure and service quality, the city is expected to maintain its strong growth momentum. Jinan's international tourism market is steadily expanding. With China continuing to broaden its scope of unilateral and mutual visa exemptions — especially following the introduction of the 240-hour visa-free transit policy — enthusiasm among foreign travelers for visiting China has been rising rapidly. Thanks to its unique charm and rich tourism resources, Jinan has become a popular destination for international visitors exploring China.