A Shandong representative introduce the "Yiyang Zhihe · Qilu TCM Cultural Tour" TCM tourism brand at the launch event of the 23rd World Congress of Chinese Medicine in Singapore. [Photo/Shandian News]

East China's Shandong province has launched its first international wellness and study-tour routes for traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), aiming to position ancient Chinese medicine as a global travel draw. The routes were unveiled at the 23rd World Congress of Chinese Medicine in Singapore on Oct 17 and 18.

The routes, branded "Yiyang Zhihe · Qilu TCM Cultural Tour", include three itineraries each running under a different theme. They connect time-honored TCM enterprises, wellness bases, authentic herb-producing areas, and the province's cultural and natural attractions, weaving together therapies, medicinal cuisine, heritage crafts, and industrial visits into a single travel experience.

Visitors gather at the Shandong TCM culture exhibition zone. [Photo/Shandian News]

A dedicated TCM culture exhibition ran alongside the launch, gathering enterprises and wellness bases from eight Shandong cities. Companies including Dong'e Ejiao, Hongjitang, and Yantai Mingyue Seaweed presented time-honored brands, smart manufacturing, and marine TCM innovations.

The event also produced a concrete commercial outcome: Singapore's Chan Brothers Travel, founded in 1965, signed strategic cooperation agreements with Hongjitang and Yantai Mingyue Seaweed, opening an overseas channel for Shandong's TCM wellness tourism.

The initiative is part of Shandong's role as a national pilot for integrating TCM services with consumption and trade. Going forward, the province plans to organize international study-tour groups and expand its overseas promotional network.