Yihe Boat Banquet in Linyi’s Lanshan Creates New Scene for Cultural, Tourism Consumption

LINYI, China, Dec. 12, 2024 /Xinhua-AsiaNet/–
“Sitting on a small boat, appreciating the beautiful scenery of Linyi while savoring local delicacies, this is truly a delightful experience. It’s a perfect combination of visual and culinary satisfaction,” said Wang Tao, a tourist from Jining, who recently enjoyed Linyi’s famous fried chicken and admired the stunning views on the northern island of Yi River in Linyi.

The Yihe Boat Banquet is a newly developed water dining experience located on the northern island of Yi River in Lanshan District, Linyi City. The project boasts six boat-style restaurants and one yacht restaurant, each offering private tables for guests. Designed to function as floating banquet halls, these boats provide a distinctive dining experience complemented by breathtaking views of the Yi River.

Image: New Langya scenic spot

“Linyi’s residents have always had a close connection with the Yi River. Recently, the city’s cultural tourism market has been booming, and the boat banquets have emerged as a popular feature, especially in Lanshan District, which is a hub for riverboat attractions,” said Wang Meiying, general manager of Linyi Shuiyun Langya Cultural Tourism Development Co., Ltd.

The Yihe Boat Banquet is deeply rooted in the rich culinary traditions of Shandong cuisine. Each dish is meticulously prepared using premium ingredients, blending ancient cooking methods with modern culinary techniques to strive for a harmonious balance of tradition and innovation. Here, visitors can enjoy authentic Shandong cuisine and savor the richness and subtlety that comes from the land of Shandong. As the light dances across the water and lanterns glimmer, the Yihe Boat Banquet adds a layer of enchanting beauty and atmosphere, making it a truly memorable experience. Linyi’s cultural tourism sector has greatly promoted the “Come to Yimeng for Weekend” brand, offering a variety of micro-vacation products such as “Night Tour +”, “Performance +”, “Mountain & Water +”, “Food +”, and “Accommodation +”. By leveraging its cultural and tourism resources, Lanshan District has been promoting its unique features of “tourism and culture” to boost the coordinated development of tourism and culture.

Image: The Calligraphy Square

To further stimulate tourism development, Lanshan District has enhanced its “Water Rhyme Langya” project, and created four themed sections: “Lights of Lanshan – New Langya,” “Beautifying Yi River,” “Elegance of Wei and Jin dynasties,” and “Willow, Flower and Creek.” These four sections complement each other, earning the district recognition as a 3A national scenic area, a provincial-level tourism leisure street and a night-time cultural tourism hub. The district continues to make progress in mall tourism by adhering to the 3A scenic area standards. It has also created eight model markets that integrate commerce and tourism, as well as four boutique routes that connect Linyi Mall and the Chinese Grand Market. These developments have driven a 40% increase in foot traffic at key attractions like the Mall Market, the Wang Xizhi Memorial and the Yinque Mountain Han Tomb Bamboo Slips Museum. Additionally, rural tourism is being developed, with projects such as the extensive lotus pond and activities like the Half-Season Lotus Festival and Fangcheng Youth Life Festival. The district has built four “Yimeng Nostalgia” homestay hotels and nine campsites, further enriching the tourism offerings.