A signing ceremony for agreements between Jinan Culture & Tourism Development Group Co and 39 other parties was held in Jinan, East China's Shandong province on Dec 26 and 27. A forum on cultural tourism industry development in Jinan was held concurrently.

The agreements, worth over 36 billion yuan ($5.23 billion), aim to help Jinan map out a new blueprint for cultural tourism development.

Jinan Culture & Tourism Development Group Co is one of the city's six investment and financing platforms established by the Jinan municipal government and its Party Committee. The company plans to combine the city's culture, tourism and sports resources, build construction and management platforms for cultural tourism projects, and foster an ecological cluster for the cultural tourism industry integrating culture, tourism, sports, exhibitions, health care and gardens.

During the ceremony, Sun Bin, vice mayor of Jinan, said that Jinan is now striving to build itself into a national central city, a national tourism demonstration area and a world famous tourist destination. The government has made the cultural tourism industry a priority in such key areas as the conversion of new and old kinetic energy, industry revitalization, construction of a national civilized city and industrial targeted poverty alleviation. Jinan now enjoys rapid economic and social development and rich ecological and cultural resources, which have brought opportunities for development of the cultural tourism industry. The signing ceremony marked a breakthrough for Jinan's cultural tourism sector. Sun also welcomed more visitors to Jinan, hoping they will come to know, experience and love the city.

The 39 parties signing the agreements were Taishan Sports Industry Group Co, the Pingyin county government, Qiquan Group, Grehar Emerging Industry Group Co, Jinan Nanhu Yulu Tea Technology Development Co, Changqing Culture & Tourism Co, Lingyu Travel Agency, Jinan Daily Newspaper Group, China Tiesiju Civil Engineering Group, China Railway Seventh Group Co, China Construction First Building (Group) Corp Ltd, China Construction Eight Engineering Division Corp Ltd, MCC Communication Construction Group Co, Shandong Hi-speed Real Estate Group Co, CMIG Drain Technology Industry Group Ltd, Hualu Senior Care and Health Development Co, CECC Tourism Development Co, Chengda Holdings Co, Yuexing Group, LY.com, Sweetome Group, CCTID Co, Zhongqing Jianye Culture Development Co, APAX Recreation Ltd, China Architecture Design & Research Group, Beijing Urban Construction Design & Development Group Co, Management School of Shandong University, Shandong Tudi Development Group Co, Davost Intelligence Co, Shandong Guanghe Energy Co, Guangzhou Zhihui Scenic Spot Management Co, Jinan Radio and TV Station, Hong Kong Financial Assets Management Ltd, Zhongjin Guotai Holdings Group Co, Bank of Communications, Hua Xia Bank, Industrial Bank, China Merchants Bank, Qilu Bank and Bank of Qingdao.