The Shanghai Tourism Festival was established in 1990 and takes place annually for over 20 days, starting from a Saturday in September.

The event involves nearly 40 categories, including sightseeing, leisure, entertainment, culture, exhibitions, gourmet, and shopping, and attracts over 8 million visitors each year.

The poster of 2023 Shanghai Tourism Festival. [Photo/Wechat account: shanghaitourism]

Co-hosted by the Shanghai Municipal Administration of Culture and Tourism and the Shanghai Municipal Commission of Commerce, the Shanghai Tourism Festival is the largest and most influential tourism celebration in China.

Positioned as "the people's festival" and themed around "embracing beauty and joy", the festival promotes the development of the tourism industry in accordance with the requirements of the Belt and Road Initiative. 

The Shanghai Tourism Festival has become a symbol of the city's endeavour to build itself into a world-renowned tourist destination. Traditional activities include the Shanghai Tourism Festival Float Parade and award competition, as well as the "Explore Shanghai" event. Together with various activities catering to sightseeing, leisure, entertainment, culture, exhibitions, cuisine, shopping, and people participation, the festival showcases the abundant charm of the four seasons of Shanghai, its urban culture, and its people to both domestic and international audiences.