Until recently, the industrial city of Zibo in east China rarely appeared on any tourist itinerary. But now, the city with a population of 4.7 million welcomed 4.8 million tourists from outside the city in March, an increase of 134 percent year-on-year.
A barbecue restaurant in Zibo is packed with diners as long queues of customers wait for vacant tables. /CFP
Zibo went viral online in early March for the special way it serves barbecue. The chef grills the skewers until they are medium-well done before the guests add their choice of seasonings and further roast them the way they like. Rather than picking up the skewers and biting the meat directly, the authentic way is to put two or three skewers in a small pancake with some scallions, fold the pancake into a roll and pull the skewers out. And then it's time to enjoy the roll filled with grilled meat and scallions.
A diner rolls a pancake with two skewers and some scallions at a barbecue restaurant in Zibo. /CFP
Although this booming barbecue trend happened by accident, both the local authorities and residents have tried their best to grasp this opportunity to offer tourists a satisfactory experience and introduce other sides of the city to visitors, such as its natural scenery, history and other culinary specialties.
As early as March 10, the city government announced that it has set up a special team to take a variety of measures to attract more tourists and facilitate their stay in Zibo.
Special barbecue trains are being put into operation on weekends. Officials from cultural and travel departments offer out local specialties to passengers for free and introduce them to local tourist attractions. Volunteers at the railway station and bus stations guide tourists to find the quickest way to the famous barbecue markets. Free barbecue maps and shuttle buses are also being offered to help meat lovers reach their next destination. Business owners face punishment if they try to cheat customers on price or quality. Local residents tend to avoid going to barbecue spots on the weekend to leave this busy dining time to tourists.
The kitchen of a popular barbecue restaurant in Zibo /CFP
Visitors have welcomed these measures and the tourism boom is still continuing. Statistics from Meituan Dianping, one of China's most popular review and rating platforms which helps customers find local restaurants, shops and businesses, show that bookings for an accommodation in Zibo for the upcoming 5-day Labor Day holiday saw an eightfold surge by April 10 compared to the same period in 2019. Driven by the barbecue boom, many scenic spots and historical sites in the city also saw a sharp increase in tourist numbers.
Diners enjoy a barbecue feast at a restaurant in Zibo. /CFP
The city government is now planning to hold a barbecue festival during the Labor Day holiday, build a brand new barbecue market, and issue awards to barbecue restaurants with the best flavors and service.
