This year's Shanghai Shopping Festival will coincide with the Labor Day holiday — and Shanghai's cultural and tourism authorities are stepping up their efforts to attract visitors and to drive retail spending upwards.

Key strategies include boosting the city's appeal through events, expanding the staging of themed festivals and offering generous discounts to really galvanize tourist spending.

Cultural events designed to draw crowds

From April to June, the city will host a series of high-profile cultural exhibitions and performances.

Singaporean pop star Stefanie Sun will perform in late April at the Shanghai Stadium (Xuhui district), followed by US and international diva Mariah Carey's solo concert in mid-May at the Hongkou Football Stadium (Hongkou district) — with both already generating a huge buzz online.

Elsewhere, the Shanghai Museum will launch a major exhibition in June entitled Hongshan culture: ancient civilization special exhibition.

For their part, art lovers can also look forward to retrospectives of Chinese classical painter Chen Yifei at the Museum of Art Pudong (Pudong New Area), a digital exhibition by iconic UK painter David Hockney at the West Bund Museum (Xuhui district) and a show called ...de la vallee — a solo exhibition by leading contemporary French artist Fabrice Hyber at the Power Station of Art (Huangpu district).

Cruise festival and waterfront activities

In May, the Shanghai Municipal Administration of Culture and Tourism will co-host the 2025 Cruise Culture and Tourism Festival with Baoshan district. New offerings include cruise tickets that unlock special deals with hotels, shops and various attractions.

Other themed activities include a sunrise-viewing party to mark the start of summer, anime pop-ups and riverside city walks. For senior travelers, new "golden years" tourism packages will combine wellness, leisure and financial services.

The city is also transforming its riverside areas into nighttime destinations — featuring "fireworks suites" and riverside viewing zones supported by hotels and malls.

Discounts aim to spur local spending

To mark China Tourism Day, which falls on May 19, Shanghai will offer three days of half-price admissions to major attractions on May 17-19. Tourists with May 19 birthdays can also enjoy free entry at selected sites.

In partnership with the Shanghai Shopping Festival, the SMG Oriental Shopping platform will host a special White Magnolia Live Studio from April 30 to May 18. Livestreams from there will feature discounted packages for popular attractions, tours and hotels — many at 45 percent off.

It's worth noting, that all these promotions can be combined with the ongoing Enjoy Shanghai service consumption coupons for even greater savings.

Sources: Shanghai Municipal Commission of Commerce, Baoshan district administration of culture and tourism, Museum of Art Pudong, West Bund Museum, Power Station of Art