Weihai is a beautiful coastal tourist city. Since the reform and opening up, the tourist industry in Weihai has made great breakthroughs, bringing obvious social benefits and economic benefits and playing a great role in Weihai's economic construction and opening up. During the 8 years from 8th Five-year Period to 1998, tourist arrivals to Weihai amounted to 32.82 million, of which overseas tourists totaled 320,000 with receipts in foreign exchange of US $ 140 million. The total receipts of the tourist industry reached 9.26 billion yuan. Overcoming all the difficulties, Weihai's tourism made new achievements in 1998 with tourist arrivals numbering 4.775 million and total receipts of 2.79 billion yuan, up 8.5% and 12% respectively compared with 1997. The total tourist receipts constituted 5.2% of the city's GDP. Weihai was selected as one of Top Tourist Cities of China. Up to 1998, Weihai had 59 tourist hotels including 19 star-rated ones, 19 travel agencies, 20 coach and cruise companies as well as many designated restaurants, designated shops and designated enterprises of tourist products. The tourist industry had 30,000 employees, The tourist industrial system was improving gradually and the industry was expanding.
Weihai faces the sea in 3 directions. With a coastline of 9856.5 kilometers and beautiful natural beaches, Weihai has rich tourism resources. In the recent 20 years, Weihai has attached great importance to the development of ecological tourism resources and has made an investment of 3 billion yuan in the utilization of tourism resources. Weihai has 5 tourist spots such as Liugong Island, Cheng Peak, Bible Hill, Cha Hill and Daru Hill and 4 provincial holiday resorts including Huancui, Silver Beach, Stone Island Bay and Swan Lake. There are also CCTV Weihai Film and TV City, Xixiakou Wildlife Zoo, Silver Beach Wind Energy Museum and Jiawu War Memorial Hall. In order to improve the uniqueness of the theme and characteristics of the tourist spots, Weihai absorbed international experience and measures in the development of the tourist resources and made great efforts to increase the scientific and technological content. Now Weihai is planning the following projects: Liugong Island World Naval War Museum, Cheng Peak Sea World and New Century Astronavigation Garden. Over 1 billion-yuan will be invested and the projects will start operation within 5 years. The tourist industry will have a bright future. The CPC Weihai Committee and Weihai Municipal Government attach great importance to the tourist industry. The tourist industry has been regarded as one of four pillar industries in Weihai's economy and will be given a priority. The guideline for the future development of the tourism in Weihai is as follows: with building a modernized coastal tourist city as the central task, in accordance with the principle of "advance forward appropriately", sticking to the development strategies of large tourism, large market and large industry, having summer resort, holiday-making, recuperation and sightseeing as the theme, paying attention to construction at home and external promotion, developing the 6 major tourism components of transportation, sightseeing, accommodation, food, shopping and recreation, building up a new image for Weihai's tourism. With adequate and ideal industrial systems, great economic strength and desirable industrial qualifications, the tourism in Weihai becomes a pillar industry for municipal economy and social development. The goal is that by the end of this century. Weihai will receive 116,000 overseas tourists with receipts in foreign exchange of US $ 37.46 million. Domestic tourist arrivals reach 6.69 million with receipts of 4.28 billion yuan. Total tourism revenues will make up 6.7% of GDP.