Shanghai unveiled a series of new policies and plans to drive consumption across all sectors in 2025 at a news briefing on Feb 14.

The initiatives aim to stimulate spending in services, large-scale purchases, inbound tourism, and emerging consumption trends, while also promoting the debut economy, silver economy, nighttime economy, and event-driven economy.

The Shanghai Municipal Commission of Commerce, along with the Shanghai Municipal Commission of Economy and Informatization, the Shanghai Municipal Administration of Culture and Tourism, the Shanghai Municipal Foreign Affairs Office, and the Shanghai Administration of Sports, introduced their plans at the event.

Action plans to stimulate consumption

The city's comprehensive approach encompasses a range of initiatives designed to stimulate consumer spending across various sectors.

One key area of focus is the renewal of consumer goods. Starting Jan 1, the city expanded subsidies for household appliance upgrades and home renovations, adding categories such as water purifiers, mobile phones and home renovation materials into the program. Shanghai is also working to facilitate vehicle trade-ins by expanding the recycling network and promoting services such as online secondhand car reservations and door-to-door vehicle collection.

Recognizing the needs of its growing elderly population, Shanghai is taking steps to boost the "silver economy" by hosting the Silver-Hair Life Festival and fostering brands that cater to senior consumers.

Meanwhile, the city will encourage dining out and stimulate consumption in sectors such as home care, cultural tourism, sporting events, information services and medical tourism.

To foster new forms of consumption, the city will promote the debut economy by establishing a global demonstration zone for product launches while supporting time-honored local brands. Initiatives will also be introduced to promote livestreaming e-commerce, develop AI-driven consumption, and cultivate popular franchises-based consumption.

Shanghai's plans also include creating engaging consumption scenes, such as upgrading key commercial districts, developing "ticket plus" products, and establishing vibrant nighttime economic clusters, including street markets.

In addition, the city is planning a year-round calendar of events, including the Shanghai Summer International Consumption Season, the Shanghai Shopping Festival, and the Shanghai International Light Festival, designed to attract both domestic and international consumers.

"We will continue to leverage our city's advantages as an international consumption center, including its large market, diverse consumption opportunities, and concentration of high-end resources, to further refine our policies and promote the expansion of high-level consumption," said Liu Min, deputy director of the Shanghai Municipal Commission of Commerce, at the news briefing.

The city’s commitment to creating a trustworthy consumption environment will include enhancing service convenience through mobile payment options and multi-lingual services and streamlining the process for overseas shoppers looking to claim tax refunds.

Boosting inbound tourism and spending

The Shanghai Municipal Foreign Affairs Office detailed its efforts to enhance services for foreign visitors and residents.

Ma Yinghui, deputy director of the Shanghai Municipal Foreign Affairs Office, emphasized the importance of creating a seamless experience for both international visitors and residents, particularly in the context of growing inbound tourism and the expanding reach of visa-free programs.

"China currently has visa-free arrangements with 26 countries and has implemented unilateral visa-free policies for 38 countries, along with transit visa exemptions for 54 countries," said Ma. "In December, China extended the transit visa-free stay duration to 240 hours (10 days) for eligible travelers and expanded the list of designated entry and exit ports to 60."

To further streamline the entry process, three International Services Shanghai one-stop service stations have been established at Pudong Airport terminals 1 and 2 and Hongqiao Airport terminal 1, offering international travelers integrated services encompassing payments, tourism, communications, and transportation.

"Since opening, these centers have served over 210,000 international travelers," added Ma. "We have also distributed over 250,000 copies of the International Services Shanghai guidebook in six languages: English, French, German, Japanese, Korean, and Spanish. This comprehensive guide serves as a second passport for foreign visitors seeking a smooth and comfortable stay in Shanghai."

Leveraging digital platforms and international experience ambassadors

The Shanghai Municipal Foreign Affairs Office has also launched the new International Services Shanghai portal, a multilingual and user-friendly online platform designed to enhance accessibility for global users.

"The portal is designed to be a one-stop platform for information, services, and interaction, providing a comprehensive overview of services and resources for international visitors and residents alike," said Ma." As of Jan 31, 2025, the International Services Shanghai portal had published 16,751 pieces of information, including 14,627 articles in English and eight other languages and 2,120 posts on social media platforms."

The Shanghai Municipal Foreign Affairs Office has established a team of International Experience Ambassadors to collect feedback and address challenges faced by international visitors in Shanghai.

"We are constantly seeking to refine our services and address minor roadblocks in payment, hotel check-in, luggage storage, and other areas," said Ma. "These ambassadors played a key role in selecting the logo for the 2024 Shanghai Summer international consumption season, and we will continue to tap into their insights to improve the experience for international visitors."

The Shanghai Municipal Foreign Affairs Office will continue to collaborate with other relevant agencies in Shanghai to enhance the city's services and infrastructure, further enhancing its reputation as an international destination for tourism, business, and consumption.

"This year, we will be using the International Services Shanghai portal to promote events like First in Shanghai, the Shanghai Shopping Festival, and the Shanghai Summer international consumption season," said Ma. "We will also be providing timely updates on the latest service information, event schedules, and consumer convenience measures, such as 'buy and tax refund' programs. We encourage all international visitors to stay tuned!"

Driving growth through cultural tourism, sports

The Shanghai Municipal Administration of Culture and Tourism is focusing on several key areas to stimulate cultural and tourism consumption.

The agency will be prioritizing the expansion of cultural and tourism offerings throughout the year, particularly during peak holiday periods, with a focus on engaging younger audiences, families, and international travelers.

The plan also includes strengthening the city's cultural festivals, exhibitions, and sporting events to attract visitors and create unique experiences.

The Shanghai Municipal Administration of Sports plans to further enhance the city's sports events and infrastructure.

The city is set to host 173 major international and domestic sporting events in 2025, including high-profile races like the Formula 1 Chinese Grand Prix and the World Rowing Championships, showcasing Shanghai's vibrant sports scene and attracting global athletes and audiences.

To further integrate sports into the city's cultural and tourism fabric, the Shanghai Sports Consumption Festival will be expanded to offer more exciting events and opportunities to consumers.