Zhaoyuan gold mining town, a famous gold-mining-themed tourist attraction in Yantai, Shandong province, launched a month-long gold mining activity on May 1 in a bid to attract more visitors.

From May 1 to 31, the town will offer gold worth 200,000 yuan ($32,654) to tourists visiting the scenic spot. On May 1, the director of the Zhaoyuan tourism bureau, Hao Zengbao, placed some gold into the gold mining river, which lured flocks of visitors from around the world to seek their own fortunes in the river.

Hao Zengbao, director of the Zhaoyuan tourism bureau, places gold into the gold mining river of Zhaogyuan gold mining town in Yantai, Shandong province on May 1, 2015. [Photo/travel.shm.com.cn]

Visitors from across the world pan for gold in the gold mining river of Zhaogyuan gold mining town in Yantai, Shandong province on May 1, 2015. [Photo/travel.shm.com.cn]

One photographer at the attraction said that he had never seen such exciting gold mining activity. "I feel the happiness when I take photos of the tourism bureau director putting gold into the river and visitors exploring gold from the river," he said.

Edited by Jacob Hooson