The highway makes Weihai a whole tourism zone where the urban areas and rural areas are well-connected, according to Sui Jianbo, head of the culture and tourism bureau of Weihai.

"It's a road to vitalize the rural areas," says Sui.

Filip Esprit, a Belgian who runs a chocolate shop in Sunjiatuan, a town in Weihai, speaks highly of the highway and the rural development in Weihai.

"Every village is very accessible now, and the villages have transformed into green gardens. There is beautiful scenery all around, with reforestation and greening, and the architecture is all renewed," says Esprit.

Wang Jing, a resident in Qingdao, Shandong province, has put Weihai travel on her family's plan for the National Day holiday. "Due to the influence of the COVID-19 pandemic, we prefer nearby travel and Weihai is a good choice," says Wang Jing.

"Both are coastal cities. There are different views and customs between Qingdao and Weihai, and my children will experience the differences by themselves," she says.