The low flying sightseeing helicopter has become a new addition to the skies in Qingdao, a coastal tourist city on Shandong Peninsula.

Visitors who board the sightseeing helicopters can appreciate the magnificent scenery along Shandong province’s coastline. The bird’s eye view costs 1,500 yuan ($ 232.80) per person.

Each helicopter has a capacity to carry six passengers, including two crew members. There are four sightseeing routes available for tourists. They have the choice of overlooking the beautiful sceneries of Jiaozhou Bay region, including Qingdao city, Laoshan Mountain and Penglai the Immortals’ Island.

Zhang Zhen’ai, the general manager of Qingdao City Construction Investment Group (QCCI), said that air tour will become an even bigger attraction in Qingdao city in the future and is also vital for the development of its tourism industry.

The advanced helicopter, Eurocopter AS350, is capable of heavy transportation tasks on high-temperature plateau areas. It can travel at a maximum speed of 258 kilometers per hour.

During the China Qingdao International Marine Festival, which opened on July 23, a QCCI official gave a speech about the sightseeing helicopters during his formal introduction in hope to attract more tourists to Qingdao.

By Xie Chuanjiao and Hu Qing (China Daily Qingdao Bureau)